Life Is a Bed of Roses

A nurse saves the newborn prince during a royal ambush and hides him from rival forces. She raises him away from court intrigue in the forests of Ardennes. The threat to the throne prompts a careful concealment that preserves the royal line.

As the prince grows, he undertakes heroic feats, slaying a dragon and rescuing a maiden. His victories consolidate his rule and lay the groundwork for a reign of love and happiness. The legends of his courage spread through the kingdom.

With the dragon defeated and the maiden saved, the prince solidifies his rule and begins a long period of peace and prosperity. His leadership reinforces a theme of harmony and benevolence throughout the realm.

In 1914, Count Forbek declares plans to build an extravagant castle he calls a 'temple of happiness' for himself and his guests. He intends to dedicate it to Livia, the woman he plans to marry. The project marks a dream of social and personal idealism before war intervenes.

The outbreak of World War I disrupts the castle project and reshapes its purpose. Amid the upheaval, Livia chooses to marry Raoul, an army officer, shifting loyalties and the trajectory of Forbek's dream. The war casts a shadow over the castle's future.

By 1920 the castle is sufficiently complete and opened to Forbek's friends. He hosts a social gathering to celebrate the milestone and to explore the dream of happiness that inspired the project. The moment marks a pivot from war-time hope to post-war ambition.

Forbek invites his guests to participate in an experiment that promises to wipe away present discontents and memories, rebirthing them as new people. The plan embodies the era's fascination with reeducation and the possibility of redesigned happiness.

Livia declines to drink the potion and watches the experiment's effects on others. She learns that Raoul dies during the process, and she denounces Forbek's scheme, confronting the moral cost of such a 'reeducation' in pursuit of happiness.

In the 1980s the castle is repurposed as Institut Holberg, a progressive school and teacher-training establishment. The building shifts from a grand social experiment to a hub of educational innovation and debate.

An educational conference gathers at Institut Holberg, bringing together diverse delegates including Walter Guarini, Nora Winkle, Elisabeth Rousseau, and Roger Dufresne. The gathering aims to explore new ideas for the next generation's education.

Georges Leroux, the conference convenor, pushes to unite everyone around a common educational ideal. His determination meets resistance as differing visions begin to clash. The agenda of unity starts to unravel under competing perspectives.

Elisabeth Rousseau demonstrates her integrated teaching method, sparking ideological disputes among the delegates. The demonstration reveals deep fault lines in how education should be practiced and evaluated.

Nora Winkle tries to foster a romance between Elisabeth and Roger, but her plan produces unintended complications. Romantic interference deepens the rifts within the group rather than healing them.

The conference dissolves into disarray as disputes over pedagogy and ideology overshadow the shared goals. The participants depart with unresolved tensions and divergent visions for education's future.