In 1920s Central Asia, a young Russian prince becomes infatuated with a French cabaret singer, unaware of her sordid past. When he declares his love for her, it sets in motion a dramatic chain of events involving jealousy, offended honor, and an inevitable duel between the prince and his romantic rival, a Europeanized Tartar chieftain. A tragic tale of idealism, disillusionment, and fatal obsession.