During the 18th century Franco-Prussian war widower The Marquise von O’s house in north Italy is attacked. The Marquise (Edith Clever) is sexually assaulted by Russian troops before being rescued by a Count (Bruno Ganz). The Count asks for her hand in marriage but the Marquise discovers that she is pregnant although she cannot recollect having had sexual relations. Rejected by her parents and forced to turn down the Count’s proposal the Marquise takes unusual measures to find the father of her child.

Die Marquise Von O was Eric Rohmer’s adaptation of the controversial novel by Heinrich von Kleist. The film was an international success receiving numerous awards including the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes film festival. Shot in the novel’s native German it was Rohmer’s only film not made in his native French but it is still regarded as one of his classic works.