In the midst of a winter’s storm, Ursus, a colourful itinerant showman, kindly offers shelter to two young orphans. They are Gwynplaine, a boy with a facial scar that has the appearance of a permanent smile, and a blind girl named Déa. Some years later, the trio are still together, giving shows the length and breadth of the country. Now a grown man, Gwynplaine has become a star and delights his audiences. But his success threatens to drive him ever further away from the two people who love him for himself, Déa and Ursus...