Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve dies and arrives at the entrance to Hell, a final destination he is sure he deserves after living a life of profligacy. The devil, however, isn't so sure Henry meets Hell's standards. Convinced he is where he belongs, Henry recounts his life's deeds, both good and bad, including an act of indiscretion during his 25-year marriage to his wife, Martha, with the hope that "His Excellency" will arrive at the proper judgment.
Aarne, the son of Laamanni Horn, who is studying law, falls in love with his father's office assistant Helena, but due to his parents' prejudices, he wants to keep his cross-class relationship a secret. Aarne finds himself presiding over his first court case in conflicting circumstances, as he is assigned to judge Helena.
Archie Rice, an old-time British vaudeville performer sinking into final defeat, schemes to stay in show business.
Rosencrantz and Guildensterm, minor characters from the play 'Hamlet', find themselves on the road to Elsinore Castle at the behest of the King of Denmark. The duo encounter a band of players before arriving to find that they are needed to try to discern what troubles the prince Hamlet. Meanwhile, they ponder the meaning of their existence.
Henry II and his estranged queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, battle over the choice of an heir.
Jeannette Vaubernier, an impulsive shopgirl en route to deliver a hat, dreams of luxury and position as she saunters through the woods, and attracted by a pool of water, she disrobes and plunges in. Cosse de Brissac, a handsome private in the King's Guards, comes to her rescue and they become sweethearts. Meanwhile, Jean Du Barry, a shrewd roué, takes note of her at the millinery shop and tricks her into staying at La Gourda's, where she soon becomes a favorite among the men.
Passing herself off as a countess, glamorous Lucy Stavrin hobnobs with the rich and famous along the French Riviera. Aware that Lucy is a phony, jewel-thief Malatroff blackmails Lucy into helping him steal the valuable necklace owned by the young wife of phlegmatic American businessman Sylvester Corbett.
A drama set in the 1920s, where free-spirited Janie Crawford's search for happiness leads her through several different marriages, challenging the morals of her small town. Based on the novel by Zora Neale Hurston.
Jeffrey, a gay man living in New York City with an overwhelming fear of contracting AIDS, concludes that being celibate is the only option to protect himself. As fate would have it, shortly after his declaration of a sex-free existence, he meets the handsome Steve Howard, his dream man -- except for his HIV-positive status. Facing this dilemma, Jeffrey turns to his best friend and an outrageous priest for guidance.
An alcoholic ex-football player drinks his days away, having failed to come to terms with his sexuality and his real feelings for his football buddy who died after an ambiguous accident. His wife is crucified by her desperation to make him desire her: but he resists the affections of his wife. His reunion with his father—who is dying of cancer—jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son.
Elias, who is preparing for his wedding, dances drunk with a beggar in front of the church and dies of a heart attack. His fiancée Anna is devastated by grief and on the verge of suicide. In his despair, he experiences a religious awakening, which is supported by Antti, who is in love with Anna, and some of the villagers. The pastor sees the revivalist movement as a threat to himself, the church, and public order.
18-year-old orphan Sylvi is unable to refuse the marriage proposal made by her guardian, Aksel. The young wife is unhappy with her elderly husband and loves her childhood friend Viktoria instead. Sylvi sinks into despair when Aksel refuses to grant her a divorce.
Chaz Davenport is a dashing bachelor who owns what promises to become the hottest new nightclub in town--if only the lights would stay on. Surrounded by the sumptuous blues music he adores, and with his pick of the gorgeous women who perform their sensual dance numbers onstage every night, Chaz is the envy of every man.
Michael Pappas and his girlfriend, Cathy, are enjoying the white sand beaches of a Greek island as well as the freewheeling nature of the locals. When Michael meets Lina, who is in Greece from Paris doing archaeological work, he is enamored with the beautiful foreigner. Cathy, unhappy about Lina getting close to Michael, confronts the woman -- only to be unexpectedly wooed by her charms as well.
At age 42, Rafael Belvedere is having a crisis. He lives in the shadow of his father, he feels guilty about rarely visiting his aging mother, his ex-wife says he doesn't spend enough time with their daughter and he has yet to make a commitment to his girlfriend. At his lowest point, a minor heart attack reunites him with Juan Carlos, a childhood friend, who helps Rafael to reconstruct his past.
When a man stops at a motel one evening in 1961, his tormenting behavior drives one of the people present at the motel to remember his experiences in a concentration camp during WWII.
The story of Usnavi, a bodega owner who has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic or staying in Washington Heights.
Heavily indebted Commissioner Birger seeks to marry the wealthy Helena. The young lady rejects his advances and longs for her childhood friend Kuismaa. Birger's jealous mistress Verotshka complicates the relationship dynamics while helping the Finns and Ingrians in their struggle for independence.
A Jewish teenager sets three goals: lose his virginity, become a writer, and survive World War II.
Mauri Miettinen and his wife Anja are living in a happy marriage. Everything changes when Mauri's old acquaintance comes to visit and threatens to reveal Anja's dark past.