About how the British broke the Brazilian monopoly on natural rubber. The storyline suggests a complex relation between adventure, military conquest and imperialism.

According to his last will, the rich American uncle of vacuum cleaner salesman Peter Pett only leaves his 5 million dollars to Peter if he is married happily. Otherwise the five million will fall to Peter's Scottish cousin Patrick.

After an emergency plane landing in the desert, the actress Barbara gets to know the industrialist Thomas. After they are rescued, the two live at Thomas' place in Berlin. Although she confesses her love for him, Thomas asks his brother Werner to look after Barbara, as he feels he is too consumed by work and doesn't wish to be bound to anyone. Only after a fight with his brother does Thomas realize how much in love with Barbara he really is; but by that time, she has left him. For years, Thomas searches in vain for her until one day he meets her in New York ... where she is now married.

The film depicts the love affair between William I and Elisa Radziwill.