the film stars jean-pierre léaud as paul, a romantic young idealist and literary lion-wannabe who chases budding pop star madeleine (chantal goya, a real life yé-yé girl). despite markedly different musical tastes and political leanings, the two soon become romantically involved and begin a "ménage à quatre" with madeleine's two roommates, catherine (catherine-isabelle duport) and elisabeth (marlène jobert). the camera probes the young actors in a series of vérité-style interviews about love, lovemaking, and politics.