Sebastian is an undisciplined mathematics genius who works in the "cipher bureau" of the British Intelligence. While cracking enemy codes, Sebastian finds time to romance co-worker Rebecca Howard.

André Ripois, un français exilé à Londres, est un Don Juan. Sa femme Catherine, lasse de ses infidélités, part pour Édimbourg pour préparer son divorce. Pendant ce temps, André, entre plusieurs liaisons opportunistes, s'éprend de Patricia, une amie de sa femme, et, pour la séduire, utilise de nombreux stratagèmes, il va jusqu'à simuler son suicide par défenestration, mais il tombe accidentellement et reste paralysé à vie. Catherine s'imagine, comme Patricia, qu'il a tenté de se suicider à cause d'elle et renonce au divorce. Ripois devient, malgré lui, le « fidèle prisonnier » de sa femme.

Vivian Kenway, a young Englishman from an aristocratic background, flunks out of Oxford, and decides to use his considerable charm to achieve his goal of, apparently, making dissipation his career. His derelictions include seduction, betrayals of sweethearts, family and friends, and Marriage for money. All this with no signs of remorse or redemption, since his life as a completely unprincipled rake is quite enjoyable...for him, at least. Then, World War II breaks out and he is given a chance to die a heroic death for flag and country. Maybe.

Successful businessman Joe Lampton is married to the wealthy Susan, has two children, and lives in the mill town of Warley in northern England. But his career seems to have plateaued, leaving him disillusioned. This feeling is only exacerbated when he discovers his wife's infidelity with local man Mark. So he takes up with attractive TV host Norah and moves with her to London, aiming to reignite the fire that drove him to the top.

Now old, ill, poor, and largely forgotten, William Freise-Greene was once young and handsome William Green. He changed his name to include his first wife's for the photographic portrait work he excelled at. But he was also an inventor and his search for a way to project moving pictures became an obsession that ultimately changed the life of all those he loved.