The French ballet girl Janine, a gifted tap-dancer, dreams of a musical career in Paris. But first she wants to take revenge on Count René who stood up her best friend Charlotte. Janine wants him to fall in love with her and disappoint him afterwards. At a masked ball at which Janine pretends to be a Marquise they have their first meeting. Janine is very disappointed in the "good gentleman", but she does not suspect that this gentleman also makes a pretence. The man whom she holds to be count René is Pierre, a composer and pianist.
Shortly after being demobilized, Georges Duroy becomes aware of his power over women in the arms of Rachel, a young singer. Thanks to his good looks and his charming manners and his unabashed cynicism he will rapidly rise to the top by courtesy of women women (Mme Walter, Clotilde, Madeleine), from journalist to member of Parliament to cabinet minister. But it is also the fair sex that will cause his fall in the end.
