THE Nazis are beginning to invade Paris and while several members of the French government are convinced that collaboration with Hitler is the best course of action, cabinet minister Jean-Etienne Beaufort (Gerard Depardieu) decides to flee the city.

He escapes with his lover, beautiful and seductive actress Viviane Denvers (Isabelle Adjani), who beguiles almost every man she meets.

They head for Bordeaux where the past catches up with Viviane - namely childhood ami Frederic (Gregori Derangere) who gladly went to jail to prove his love for her, and influential journalist Alex Winckler (Peter Coyote).

Meanwhile, Jewish professor Kopolski (Jean-Marc Stehle) desperately tries to smuggle a deadly consignment of heavy water, which is used in nuclear experiments, out of the capital. Together with his young assistant Camille (Virginie Ledoyen), he heads for Bordeaux, aware of the terrible dangers should the Nazis capture his cargo.

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