In fin de siècle Paris, Elena Sokorowska, a young, beautiful, and free-spirited Polish princess, thinks that the daisies she gives to her boyfriends help them achieve their ambitions, and, once they do so, she loses interest and looks for another man to help. After dumping a composer who has just learned his opera is to be staged at La Scala, Elena's aunt informs Elena that her family has run out of money, so, in order to save them, she agrees to marry Martin-Michaud, a wealthy, older shoe manufacturer. Sparks fly with between Elena and Henri, but when he introduces her to his friend, the famous General François Rollan, the General is quite taken with her as well, even though he is already being pursued by Paulette Escoffier. As word arrives that the General has won an election, the pro-government secret police, as well as a crowd that supports the General, surround the brothel where the General and Elena are hiding, leading to a series of romantic machinations and political scheming.