In the early twentieth century, after the death of her mother, the young Manuela is admitted to a boarding school for girls where the headmistress imposes a rigid discipline. Manuela projects all her affection onto Miss Elisabeth von Bernburg, the only supervisor to show her any kindness. At boarding school, at a party where alcohol flows a little freely, Manuela creates a scandal by loudly proclaiming her love for Miss von Bernburg. Her later suicide attempt prompts the headmistress to review her methods while Elisabeth von Bernburg resigns.
Framed and convicted of a crime she did not commit, Flora, played by Fanny Navarro is sent to prison, where she meets Roberta, played by Golde Flami, who becomes her protector and lover.
Olivia, an English teenager, arrives at a finishing school in France. Olivia finds comfort in the school which differs greatly from her former restrictive English boarding school and where the students and faculty are welcoming.
A young woman is playing the piano at a wild party. When asked to play a special tune, she begins but stops abruptly and rushes out, visibly upset. Alone she starts to walk home through late night central Stockholm. Crossing a bridge, she has a conversation with a drunk artist, and after his persuasion, out of kindness, she buys a sketch that he offers. Arriving at her apartment, she straps a rope to the ceiling and hangs herself. The next morning her body is found by a housekeeper.
The eponymous garçonne or flapper is Monique Lerbier, an emancipated French woman who leaves home to escape a marriage of convenience to a man she does not love which her parents have forced on her. She then falls into all sorts of carnal temptations and artificial pleasures previously unknown to her. These include her being seduced into a lesbian love affair by a chanteuse character (played by Edith Piaf), ensuring the film became a succès de scandale. Another actress in the film, Arletty, said of it:
Le "Club des femmes" est un foyer pour jeunes filles seules, une de ces respectables institutions auxquelles les demoiselles bien éduquées - et surtout pas très sûres d'elles - confient leur vertu par crainte de la perdre trop rapidement.
Rome est en feu depuis trois jours. Du haut de son palais impérial, Néron contemple le brasier, fomenté par lui, tout en composant un poème. Mais aux cris d’effroi qui s’élèvent des rues embrasées, des clameurs de haine et de révolte surgissent, l’incendie est criminel et le peuple de Rome réclame les responsables. Tigellinus, capitaine des gardes de l’empereur, suggère à Néron d'attribuer aux chrétiens la responsabilité de l’incendie. Aussitôt le peuple exige vengeance et tous les chrétiens sont pourchassés par les soldats romains.
Manuela von Meinhardis, whose mother had died when she was young and father serves in the military, is enrolled at an all-girls boarding school headed by the traditional and iron-fisted Fräulein von Nordeck zur Nidden. Manuela is immediately exposed to the strictness of the school when both receiving her uniform as well as having many of her possessions taken from her. While the other girls at the school received Manuela with open arms, she still felt very out of place until she meets Fräulein von Bernburg, a teacher at the school. After witnessing Fräulein von Bernburg compassion for the other girls, Manuela develops a passionate love for her teacher. The first spark of love begins with a goodnight kiss. While the teacher normally gives all the girls a goodnight kiss on the forehead, Manuela receives one on the lips.
Lulu (Louise Brooks) is the mistress of a respected, middle-aged newspaper publisher, Dr. Ludwig Schön (Fritz Kortner). One day, she is delighted when an old man, her "first patron," Schigolch (Carl Goetz), shows up at the door to her apartment. However, when Schön also arrives, she has Schigolch hide on the terrace. Schön breaks the news to Lulu that he is going to marry Charlotte von Zarnikow (Daisy D'ora), the daughter of the Minister of the Interior. Lulu tries to get him to change his mind, but when he discovers the disreputable-looking Schigolch, he leaves. Schigolch introduces Lulu to Rodrigo Quast (Krafft-Raschig), who wants her to join his new trapeze act.
Le film pastiche les personnages de l'opéra Madame Butterfly, de Puccini. Madame Butterfly, en compagnie de sa servante Suzuki (orthographiée Soussouki dans les intertitres), attend le retour de son amant, le lieutenant américain Pinkerton. Les deux femmes, pour patienter, ont des rapports lesbiens.
La voleuse Filibus terrorise la Sicile depuis son dirigeable en réussissant à voler de grandes quantités d'argent. Elle échappe à la capture quand le détective Hendy découvre que Filibus est la baronne de Croixmonde.