The son of a nobleman, engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps travels to Egypt and, while there, conceives of a canal which will connect the Mediterranean and Red Seas. In an effort to attain the backing of the French President, Napoleon, he enlists the help of the woman he loves, Eugenie (Loretta Young). Now the mistress of Napoleon, she agrees to help him, but only under the condition that he temporarily dissolve the government, a deal which opens the way for Napoleon to become the new emperor and Eugenie his empress.
