Dorante (Garrel) is a tenebrous and financially ruined young man who has the good fortune to become the private secretary of the fair-haired Araminte (Huppert), a rich widow. The latter is destined by her imperious mother, Madame Argan (Ogier), to marry the Count Dorimont to avoid entering a protracted legal battle with the Count over a piece of land. (hollywoodreporter.com)