Set during the Napoleonic era, La Ferme des Sept Peches begins with an actual incident: the murder of obscure French pamphleteer Paul-Louis Courier. Through a complicated series of flashbacks and flashforwards (a la Citizen Kane), Courier's life story unfolds before the audience's eyes. The Courier character is played by Jacques Dumesnil, whose awesome task it is to bring dozens of contrary personality traits together into one creditable performance.