Following the devastation of the Civil War, the unrefined Christopher Newman builds a fortune and journeys to France in pursuit of cultural artifacts. He finds himself drawn into the vibrant Paris nightlife. There, he has an affair with a sophisticated painter and falls for the daughter of the deceased Marquis de Bellegarde. She was forced into a marriage and deeply scarred by her abusive husband, a sacrifice made for her family's reputation. Her older brother supports their ambitious mother, while Valentin, the younger son, is captivated by the artist and teams up with Christopher.