A young woman from the countryside travels to Paris to become an actress. Despite all kinds of difficulties, affronts and emotional adventures, she succeeded in gaining a place in the world of entertainment and becomes a great movie star.

Paris, 1830. Fleur de Marie is rescued from poverty by the mysterious Rodolphe, who is in fact the Grand Duke of Gérolstein, who has gone incognito in search of an illegitimate child he once had. Which is not at all to the taste of Sarah Mac Gregor, her current mistress who kidnaps Fleur and has her locked up in Saint-Lazare prison.

The belated and revolting passion of a famous surgeon for a young orphan whom he once took in. He goes so far as to dishonor her to prevent her marriage to a young man she loves, whom she will however end up marrying. The young girl herself is not without reproach; she has missed a mother's love: in this ordeal, she has no sense of feminine dignity.

Nicole tries to seduce a young man who lead a bohemian life in an untidy flat with his three pals.

Thérèse kills her lover during the very night of her wedding to the count of Vétheul. To gain a night with her, a modest local worker agrees to bury the body.

Four men in love with the same woman put on a music-hall show and travel the world in search of the beauty. They will find success and fortune, but their sentimental quest will be a failure.