In the film, Baruch, the son of a rabbi, becomes fascinated by the theater. Against his father's wishes, Baruch leaves home and finds his way to Vienna, where an archduchess at the imperial court falls in love with him. She becomes his patron, facilitating his successful career as a classical actor. However, Baruch continues to long for home, and must find a way to reconcile his religious heritage with his love of secular literature.