The Ladies of the Camellias

In 1897, two different actresses, Sarah Bernhardt and Eleonora Duse, were both to perform the Lady of the Camellia in Paris in the same week and at the same theater. Alexandre Dumas, fils, the French author who wrote the play, has particular complaints about both of their performances. Their respective co-stars, Gustave-Hippolite Worms and Flavio Ando, are caught in the actresses' melodrama and competition. However, a Russian anarchist named Ivan decides to take the two actresses hostage and threatens to blow up the theater if two of his comrades are not released from prison.