quot;O" is a talented photographer in her late twenties with a promising career ahead of her. She is torn, however, between the tasks financial realities are forcing upon her and between her own artistic aims. Encouraged by her boyfriend, Rene, "O" decides that she should pursue her artistic passion without reservation, setting aside financial realities until she has completed her very beautiful, avant-garde book of original photos. In hopes of enabling "O" to focus her energies on the book, Rene introduces her to a mysterious benefactor, the wealthy and powerful Sir Stephen. What starts out as a promising arrangement, turns out to be self-destructive for "O". She allows outside influences to corrupt her artistic vision, as she is drawn into a seductive world of deceit, power, and eroticism.
故事发生在意大利的一个小镇之中,指挥官洛伦索(Peter Lühr 饰)的女儿马奎斯(埃迪特·克莱韦 Edith Clever 饰)带着女儿守寡多年,在危难之际得到了伯爵列特里特(布鲁诺·甘茨 Bruno Ganz 饰)的出手相救,才得以幸免于难,马奎斯对伯爵生出了一丝好感,然而,第二天,伯爵便跟随着军队离开了小镇。 没过多久,马奎斯发现自己的身上竟然出现了怀孕的迹象,没有人知道孩子的父亲是谁,就连她自己也不知道。马奎斯的未婚先孕让她成为了小镇里的笑柄,遭到了父亲的唾弃和驱逐。无奈之下,马奎斯只得登报寻找孩子的父亲,让她没有想到的是,前来之人竟然正是伯爵。无法接受此事的马奎斯拒绝了伯爵的求婚。