Adapted from Jules Verne's 1876 novel Michael Strogoff, the film tells the tale of a Russian courier named Michael Strogoff who has to dash across Russia with a vital message for the tsar's brother, wrestling with bears and fighting off ferocious Tatar rebels along the way. Captured by the Tatars, he is brought before their leader and blinded with a red hot sword by the executioner.

In a small east-european ghetto, the Jewish family is celebrating Easter. The fraternal dissonance between the Sigoulim brothers pretty accurately mirrors the strife between the two powers, one surrounding Samuel, a devoted rabbi, and the other around Moïse, a talented money lender. Moïse becomes the king of petrol and ships to London with his niece Lia. Conflict continues and leads to the violent strike by oilworkers...