It was the final film of the veteran Austrian director Oswald, who had fled into exile following the Nazi rise to power.

[1] Buster Keaton played a small supporting role in the film, as his career had seriously declined by this stage.

In France back in 1860, a gentleman by the name of Claude Mercadet lived in grandeur with his wife Pauline and his daughter Julie in a very well decorated mansion in the Bois de Bologne.

As it does, a bailiff calls on him to confiscate his property as security for his long overdue loan and tax payments.

Claude tries to calm down his wife Pauline by telling her he is about to have a big reception for the Count de la Brive.

Claude calls for his butler Justin, and orders him to invite as many of his creditors as he can and the count to a reception the very next day.

The bad news is that the count brings one of his creditors, Goulard, to the reception, and he demands that his debts are settled immediately.

Julie disturbs Claude's plans when she tells her father that she will refuse to attend the reception, as she has fallen in love with Jacques Minard, who is a bank clerk.

Claude feels the need to investigate the young man, as he suspects that he is a gold digger who is only interested in Julie because he thinks she is rich.

When the count arrives to the reception he professes his love for Julie and tells her details of his enormous wealth.

They threaten to throw both Claude and the count in jail if they don't pay, and even send for a carriage to the prison.

The count is to disguise himself and pose as Claude's former partner Godeau, who arrives at the house directly from America with loads of cash.