Nicole Védrèss' chronicle of Paris from 1900 to 1914 is brought to life through the use of original material, all authentic, secured from more then 700 films belonging to public and private collections. A few of the celebrities of the time shown are Enrico Caruso, Sarah Bernhardt, and Maurice Chevalier.
A cynical woman with a disfigured face—a hardened criminal—gets an opportunity to change her ways when she meets a sympathetic plastic surgeon. She leaves her old life behind, but soon her old friends catch up with her.
The wife of a Hungarian gentleman tires of helping him cheat and becomes the mistress of a diplomat.When she re-encounters her husband he is enfeebled and ill, so she takes pity on him.
A charming and very daring thief known as Arsene Lupin is terrorizing the wealthy of Paris, he even goes so far as to threaten the Mona Lisa. But the police, led by the great Guerchard, think they know Arsene Lupin's identity, and they have a secret weapon to catch him.
The plot focuses on Gaillac (Albert Prejean), an electrician employed by the Paris Opera. In love with gorgeous ballerina Suzanne (Gaby Morlay), Gaillac must play second fiddle to Suzanne's wealthy "protector," powerful politician Count Montoire (Henry Roussell). When the Opera personnel go on strike, Gaillac is appointed leader of the strikers, doing his job so well that he is ultimately elected Secretary of Labor in the French cabinet. Now on equal footing with Montoire, Gaillac is at last a "worthy" suitor for Suzanne -- who can't make up her mind between her two well-connected admirers, leading to a political rivalry the likes of which Paris has never seen. This harmless political satire ended up being banned by the French government for undermining "the dignity of Parliament and its ministers". (moviefone.com)
Arsène Lupin, alias the Duke of Charmence, is a clever gentleman burglar. Detective Guerchard has vowed to bring Lupin to justice. Given a chance to escape when caught with the goods, Lupin gives up his freedom for the love of a good woman.
