Stanislas Dubois is the manager of a successful advertising agency. One day, he comes up against an imposing woman who foists on him a cumbersome painting by Cézanne.
When King Henry IV ascends to the throne, his heir, the Prince of Wales, is befriended by Sir John Falstaff, an old, overweight, fun-loving habitual liar. Through Falstaff's eyes we see the reign of King Henry IV and the rise of Henry V.