Jean-Jacques Castella is a successful suburban businessman, painfully aware of his inability to keep up with the fast changing times. He has no appreciation of the arts, until his wife Angelique drags him to a moving performance of Racine's "Berenice." Much to his surprise, he is overwhelmed by the power and beauty of the lead actress, Clara Devaux, who plays the Queen. He becomes so infatuated with her that he goes back to the play every night. Finally, these two polar opposites are forced together when Castella reluctantly tries to learn English for an important business deal and his English teacher turns out to be Clara.