William Sparrow, a successful American author of popular novels lives on the French Riviera. William comes originally from a rough Brooklyn neighbourhood. He has become wealthy and famous by writing about the lives of minor and major gangsters. His main characters are "real men" as seen by the mentality of the 1950s and before. They are tough, insensitive, self-centred and macho. William himself, on the other hand, is relaxed, tolerant and loving. He is married to Eileen who comes from one of America's wealthiest and most influential families. Eileen is a thoroughly fickle, selfish, unreasonable, superficial and bossy Park Avenue bitch. She is also deeply unhappy, as the world and people in it do not often conform to her whims. She married William because he was a celebrity, but is disappointed by the fact that he works long hours, does not go out much and prefers the company of ordinary people to those from Eileen's social circle. To compensate, Eileen often goes away "on vacation," i.e. with one of her lovers. This can last from one day to a few weeks. She never says where she is going or for how long. William's daughter, Maria, is 14. As unpretentious as her father, she attends the local high school, much to Eileen's chagrin. William and Maria are very close. In William's eyes, Maria is the responsible adult, and Eileen a spoiled brat. Coinciding with her awakening sexuality, Maria develops a crush on her father. Back from one her escapades, Eileen catches William and Maria in what she thinks is a compromising situation. She is quite wrong, but the photograph she takes could ruin William's career and send him to jail. Eileen decides, on the spot, to file for divorce. She takes Maria away to New York and threatens to destroy William if he objects or if Maria tries to get in touch with him or with her grandparents. Eileen then decides to kill Maria by abandoning her without papers or money in New York City. Will Maria survive ?