Based upon a novel written by Guy de Maupassant, the film tells the story of Jorge Dubois, an unemployed man based on Marsella, France. He encounters with an old friend, who works as a journalist for the most important paper in France. This friend invites Jorge to write articles for the paper, albeit the man doesn't know how. "You always will find a fool dispose to write your articles", the friend says, and later Jorge meets a beautiful woman, Magdalena, during a party where all the high society of France is gathered together. There, Jorge will meet with a General and he claims to him having fight in Argelia with the army, which is a lie. Magdalena is an intelligent and very talented woman, and she will be the person who writes the articles for Jorge. This will be the beginning of a successful career in journalism for Jorge, but also a promiscuous life with some women. Jorge will have a romantic relationship with Clotilde, a married woman, and with an older woman, Virginia, only because he's interested in make some money in an enterprise in Morocco. Jorge becomes a popular figure in France because he gets involve in a duel with another man, who insulted the honor of Magdalena. In time, Jorge is promoted to the director position in the paper, and finally after many years of flirting he gets married with Magdalena. But there will be a moment when all this entire life of romantic adventures and deceits will fall down for Jorge Dubois.