Based on Herman Melville's novel "Moby Dick."

Zabette de Chauvalons leaves a convent in Brussels to join her father on the island of Martinique, escorted by Père Bénédict. In St. Pierre she finds that her father has died; his widow, who rules the island's French society, believes Zabette to be the child of a beautiful quadroon with whom Zabette's father left for France; when Zabette is sent to the mulatto quarter, Stéphane Séquineau is present and takes an interest in her. Destitute, Zabette is forced to auction off her Paris fashions, and though Quembo, a cunning quadroon, is the highest bidder, Stéphane outbids him at the last minute and professes his love, which she accepts, believing herself to be une fille de couleur; however, his older brother, Maurice, insinuating that a mixed marriage would ruin him, persuades her to desist.

Gritzko, a prince of pre-World War I Russia, is the ultimate ladies' man. Women fall at his feet -- all except for a young but cold British widow, Tamara Loraine. While she's spurning his advances, Tamara is growing ever more fascinated with Gritzko.

U.S. Marine sergeants Quirt and Flagg are inveterate romantic rivals on peacetime assignments in China and the Philippines. In 1917, W.W. I brings them to France, where Flagg, now a captain, takes up with flirtatious Charmaine, inn-keeper's daughter. Of course, Quirt has to arrive and spoil his fun. But the harsh realities of war and the threat of a shotgun marriage give the two men a common cause...

Chester Binney, a wounded war veteran, erroneously believes he is carrying a silver plate in his head and must avoid all excitement. He returns to his hometown, and there his former employer, George Simmons, attempts to arrange a match between Chester (who is to inherit a fortune) and his daughter Ethel. Ethel, however, finds Chester unexciting as a lover; and to enliven the affair, the father invents a lurid past for the boy by displaying a signed photograph of Rita Renault, a famous movie star. Rita, accompanied by her jealous husband, Jack Shields, arrives in the town for a personal appearance. By chance, Jack discovers the photograph of Rita, presumably the property of Chester, and when he sees his wife kissing Chester, a running fight ensues.

Set in Paris, the story concentrates on the romantic triangle involving cabaret singer Liane, bon vivant Tony and petty crook Jean.

A beautiful opera star kept by a rich older man falls in love with a young clergyman.

A Parisian cabaret dancer Emilia finds herself under the scrutiny of aristocratic British military officer Jerome Hautrix, who catches her act while on furlough during WWI. Convinced that Emilia is of noble birth, Hautrix tracks her down after the war, determined to trace her family tree. In the process, the two mismatched souls fall in love.

A guilt-ridden U.S. Marine returns to Cuba to try to find the woman he promised to marry.

When Peaceful Patton goes to work at the Martini ranch he is mistaken for the notorious outlaw the Hard Hombre. This enables him to force the ranchers to divide up the water rights. But he is in trouble when his mother arrives and exposes the hoax.