The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert Hubert.

Korlick is a notorious confidence trickster who travels the world pulling off various schemes.

After his latest swindle in New York City he returns to Paris after many years away and dreams up a new scam - selling gullible investors the idea of creating a large inland sea in the Sahara Desert by canal and the flourishing civilisation it could support.

With the police again on his tail, he is about to flee as he has always done, but trapped he is forced to take shelter in the attic of Barel and old associate of his and blackmailer.

In fact, she is Korlick's daughter and he will kill to protect her honour even as the law closes in on him.