In 1850, on the isolated French island of Saint-Pierre, a murder shocks the natives. Two fishermen are arrested. One of them, Louis Ollivier, dies in custody. The other, Neel Auguste, is sentenced to death by the guillotine. The island is so small that it has neither a guillotine nor an executioner. While those are sent for Auguste is placed under the supervision of an army Captain.
A stage director learns of his young actors' fears as they are setting up a new play.
Louis is "repo man" who is no stranger to strong-arm tactics in his work, but he has dreamed of becoming an actor since he was a child. When his cousin helps him get an audition, Louis gets the help of a famous actor to secretly help rehearse his scenes. He doesn't even tell his girlfriend Suzie. But Suzie also has a secret; she's pregnant and doesn't want her child to grow up in an atmosphere of violence.
