It is the story of American painter Philip Weber, who lives at the Hôtel Ritz Paris during the German Occupation, and his friendships with notables such as Hermann Göring and Coco Chanel.

Anatole Broyard wrote for The New York Times, "Toward the end ... the book turns into a thriller as well as a legitimate novel and a quasi-documentary portrait of Paris.

"[1] People noted that "the ending ... is melodramatic, but the yarn is as easy to read as it will be to sit through the inevitable movie version".

Directed by Desmond Davis with a teleplay by Gordon Cotler [fr],[3] it costarred Joss Ackland as Hermann Göring and Leslie Caron as Coco Chanel.

[4][5] Other cast members included Cherie Lunghi as Lili Gloebocka, David McCallum as Charlie Ritz, Patachou as Madame Ritz, Sophie Barjac as Martine Fauvet, Brigitte Kahn as Ilse Falk, David Robb as De Forrestiere, Richard Durden as Man Ray, and Marc Duret as Pierre Monet.