The Great Garrick

In London, 1750, renowned actor David Garrick ends a performance by revealing he has been invited to Paris to perform with the Comédie-Française. The audience roars as a fop declares the French want Garrick to teach them how to act, and the crowd chants 'Teach the French!' Beaumarchais is present and attributes the remark to Garrick, provoking a charged reaction that ripples through the audience.

Beaumarchais, outraged by the remark, devises a plot to cut Garrick down to size. The Parisian troupe, led by Picard, hatches a plan to ambush him and humiliate him as part of an elaborate ruse. They move to seize an inn where Garrick will stay en route to Paris to lay the trap.

Garrick meets Jean Cabot, an elderly admirer who once acted with him and now works as a prompter for the Comédie. Cabot rides non-stop to warn Garrick about the plot against him. Garrick refuses to listen, insisting they will continue as planned despite Tubby's safety misgivings.

At the inn, the 'blacksmith' sabotages a sound carriage wheel to trap Garrick. The night erupts in tumbling luggage, violent swordplay, gunshots in a lovers' quarrel, and a mad waiter, all aimed at unsettling him. Garrick remains unfazed, treating the disruption as part of the evening's theater.

Virginial young beauty Germaine, Lady de la Corbe, arrives with a broken-down coach while fleeing an arranged marriage. The inn crowd assumes she is an actress, so Garrick offers her his room and they begin a flirtatious, romantic courtship. He pursues her even as the danger around them intensifies.

Garrick overhears the drunken 'blacksmith' reciting the script. He tosses the miscreant into a pond and disguises himself in the saboteur's clothes. When the troupe discovers the death-like display, they are aghast and ready to flee.

Catching the company off guard, Garrick reveals himself, derides their rough performance, and clarifies that he never planned to go to Paris to teach them how to act. He pivots to praising the troupe and expresses admiration for their craft. The near-miss becomes a moment of mutual respect.

Garrick lashes out at Germaine for her acting and for their risky night. She laments her lack of experience to fool him, and he chastises her to quit the stage. The confrontation tests their bond but deepens his resolve to understand her true feelings.

Picard apologizes on behalf of the company and begs Garrick to join them in Paris. Garrick graciously accepts the invitation, signaling a détente and a shared artistic purpose. The plan to work together in Paris becomes a live possibility.

At his Don Juan premiere, Garrick searches backstage for Germaine and learns from Picard that she was only a random traveler. He realizes she spoke truthfully about her love for him and that he loves her too, leaving him too distraught to perform. He steps out before the audience to express his regrets, while Cabot holds up a sign to reassure him.

Inspired, Garrick proclaims his love for Germaine and praises La Belle France with exuberant praise. A flower is tossed to him, triggering a rain of blossoms from the audience. The moment seals their bond and crowns the evening with a romantic finale.