Therese

It's the mid-nineteenth century. Now a young woman, Therese Raquin has led a repressed life under the control of her paternal aunt, Madame Raquin with who Therese as a child was sent to live in the French countryside when Therese's mother died. Although Therese's father - Madame Raquin's brother - said that he would eventually send for Therese to live with him in North Africa, he never has. Madame Raquin has always doted on her only offspring, sickly Camille Raquin, who in turn has always had a sense of entitlement in he having everything handed to him by her. Several thing happen simultaneously in their lives all controlled and/or decided by Madame Raquin and Camille. First, in wanting to take his rightful place as head of the household, Camille gets a job in Paris as an office clerk, which he was able to obtain through a friend of Madame Raquin's, Inspector Michaud. Second, Therese receives notice that her father has died in an accident off the coast of Algeria. Third, using what small pension Therese's father has left Therese, Madame Raquin and Therese will also move to Paris to be with Camille, the two women to open a small lace shop. And fourth, Camille and Therese are to be married as Madame Raquin has viewed Therese as Camille's guardian angel ever since she came to live with them and she often looking after Camille considering his ill health. Although Therese does not love Camille in that way, she has no other option but to follow her aunt's plans. In Paris, Camille is reacquainted with a childhood friend, Laurent, who works in the same office and is an amateur artist. Although Therese considers Laurent vulgar in his seeming inherent animalistic behavior, he is able to unleash hidden emotions within her as the two begin an affair. Soon, their want to be together always takes over their lives, which means Therese getting out of her marriage to Camille. As Therese and Laurent get closer and closer to achieving this dream, they may find that that dream is not really what they want as they come to the realization that they are dealing with the actual human lives of others.