 Who was Moliere? Everyone knows his name, everyone knows he was one of the world s greatest playwrights. But who was he? Born in 1622, his real name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. His father was a successful tapestry-maker, his mother died when he was a boy. He grew up in the teeming streets of 17th century Paris, and was fascinated by the street fairs and traveling carnivals that flourished in spite of, or because, of the repression and hypocrisy of those cruel times. He joins a traveling theatrical troupe while still young, acts all over France and learns his stagecraft playing for brutalized peasants and cynical townspeople. Returning to Paris, he finds favor with King Louis XIV, the Sun King. His life becomes bound up with the life at the magnificent court at Versailles. And with its intrigues. He writes, stages and acts in the plays now famous all over the world. He fights with his enemies and with his friends. Success is followed by failure , defeat is followed by victory. He organizes court festivities and defends himself against court calamities. His theater is taken from life. His life is theatrical. This film tells the story of Moliere. A story as eternal as his plays, as universal as his characters, as fascinating as his life.