菲利普（罗伯特·蒙哥马利 Robert Montgomery 饰）是衔着金汤匙出生的富家子弟，患有这精神疾病，在法国留学期间，他就曾因为病发而被关进了精神病院。之后，菲利普逃了出来，并且隐瞒了这些经历返回了英国，回家之后的菲利普和好友沃德（乔治·桑德斯 George Sanders 饰）同时爱上了女秘书斯特拉（英格丽·褒曼 Ingrid Bergman 饰），最终，斯特拉选择了菲利普。 结婚之后，菲利普精神上的问题开始逐渐的暴露，他对斯特拉有着异于常态的控制欲和占有欲，菲利普总是怀疑斯特拉和沃德之间存在着不伦的暧昧关系。母亲去世之后，公司交由菲利普管理，但他并不拥有管理公司的能力，因此公司里爆发了员工骚动，此时，是斯特拉和沃德挺身而出，平息了事端，这让菲利普对沃德更加的痛恨。
影片以日记的形式呈现。无所事事的年轻人米歇尔（马丁·拉萨尔 Martin LaSalle 饰）在赛马场目睹了一个小偷偷窃的全过程，他被小偷那自信优雅的手法所吸引遂即加入了偷窃的勾当。爱读书，坚持虚无主义哲学思想的米歇尔坚信偷窃是一种手指的芭蕾，一场完美的行窃就像一场精彩的行为艺术。米歇尔有一个久违的病重的母亲，在去探望的时候结识了一直照顾他母亲的邻居珍妮（玛莉卡·格林 Marika Green 饰），漂亮的珍妮唤醒了米歇尔心中沉睡已久的感情。米歇尔被警察盯住了，警长虽然三番五次的给了他改过自新的机会，但米歇尔依旧沉迷于他的“艺术”中无法自拔，很快，米歇尔被捕了。 珍妮来狱中探望米歇尔，她向他袒露了自己的真情，米歇尔在泪水中猛然醒悟，当生命中还有所爱的人存在，生活就不会是一片虚无。
Due to some common interests between German and Russian aristocracy ( the Russians even had aristocrats in their past not to mention they had an Empress called Catherine the Great, as great as this German count's heiresses… ), it is not strange that this Teutonic count has understood and even enjoyed Herr S. M. Eisenstein's Staroye I Novoye. It is not very usual that for the aristocracy to enjoy Bolshevist films full of proletarian demands that put private property at risk or as it happens in this case, a film about the Communist Party's policy on the subject of the collectivization of the Soviet agriculture. Normally this would be perfect gibberish for this German count, but thanks to Herr Eisenstein 's greatness and directorial talent, the hardships of the heroine of the film, Dame Marfa ( Dame Marfa Lapkina ) breached even the thick aristocratic Schloss walls. And that's one of the first remarkable aspects of this oeuvre; in spite of the political subject of the film, the powerful images and lyricism ( astonishing and beautiful shot compositions ), especially during the first part of the movie, preserve the artistic merits entirely while serving a propaganda purpose. The second remarkable aspect of the film is the dichotomy between the old and new, the fight to improve the lot of Dame Marfa and her countrymen. There are many discussions because it is not easy even in Russia to change ancient and conservative customs. There are superb metaphors and social criticism ( illiteracy, bureaucracy, religiosity ) which perfectly fit the film, and last but not least, Staroye I Novoye, is a kind of archaic documentary about ancient customs established deeply in old Russia, those ones that our heroine must fight against. And there is also a lot about agriculture ( very enlightening for this German count), especially about harvesting and how to fatten Russian cows or pigs ( literally, no pun here… ). Herr Eisenstein had to bear during the last era of his film career, unbelievable censorship and mutilation of his work, as happens with Staroye I Novoye. The film was reedited and Eisenstein accused of sympathizing with Trostky's policies but fortunately the film was restored and showed by the German-frenchified t.v. channel ARTE, natürlich!, including an evocative music score by Herr Taras Bujewski, that fits superbly Herr Eisenstein primal artistic interests. And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must buy a tractor for one of his Teutonic heiress.
