When republican revolution comes to the kingdom of Illyria, King Christian and Queen Frederique, their young son Zara, and a small retinue of the abandoned court escape to Paris. They set up home there in much reduced, but still elegant, circumstances. Christian is a devotee of pleasure, while Frederique is staunch in her desire to maintain not only royal standards, but their effort to regain their throne. Christian descends into Paris' pleasure pits and seeks only passing joys, while Frederique determinedly schemes for restoration. Only now will the real import of their vividly...