图里奥公爵(吉安卡罗·吉安尼尼 Giancarlo Giannini 饰)迎娶了美丽的妻子秋丽安娜(劳拉·安托妮莉 Laura Antonelli 饰),虽然家有娇妻,但是天性好色的图里奥公爵还是整日在外面沾花惹草,这让年轻的秋丽安娜感到非常的寂寞。 随着时间的推移,秋丽安娜渐渐无法忍受这样压抑的生活,一次偶然中,她邂逅了一位名叫史蒂芬诺(马西莫·吉洛提 Massimo Girotti 饰)的男子。史蒂芬诺是一位贫穷的作家,虽然身无分文,但是他的才华深深的吸引了秋丽安娜,两人渐渐走到了一起。最终,这段背德的感情被图里奥公爵所知晓,然而最让他感到愤怒的并非妻子对自己的不忠,而是史蒂芬诺低贱的身份。Luchino Visconti's last film based on a novella by Gabrielle d'Annunzio is a haunting account of aristocratic chauvinism and sexual double standards in turn of the century Italy. Giannini as the psichotic husband whose lust cannot be satisfied. Antonelli as his sensitive and tormented wife and O'Neil as cunning possesive mistress.