Henry Clark refuse de faire affaire avec un petit escroc Ron. Après un litige impliquant la fille d'Henry, Ron menace de la dénoncer à la police s'il ne lui verse pas de l'argent.
In modern day Los Angeles, writer Paul Verlaine invites young provocating poet Arthur Rimbaud into the home of his step-family, losing interest in his wife as he becomes infatuated with the boy.
When the President's plane mysteriously disappears with him on board, it is left to the seemingly weak Vice President to try to avert a nuclear exchange with the Chinese.