Olivier, a restless young man, hesitates to become involved with Barbara, an aspiring actress who loves him. She introduces him to a group of wealthy, pleasure-mad idlers living on the Côte d\\\'Azur. Their leader, the cynical Maddy, suggests to his mistress, Elke, that she seduce the newcomer and thereby make him an intimate member of the group.
At a party aboard a yacht, Olivier resists Elke\\\'s advances, explaining that he craves more than physical satisfaction. His confession elicits a genuine feeling of warmth in Elke; this, in turn, sparks a spirit of rivalry between Olivier and Maddy. To settle the matter, the two men engage in a test of daring by jumping blind-folded from a moving crane onto the top of a building under construction. Olivier misses his footing but is unexpectedly saved by Maddy. Elke and Maddy realize the futility of their lives and decide to reform, while Olivier returns to the uncomplicated Barbara.
