In 1643, a charming young law student named Dorante arrives in Paris in search of a wife. He hires Cliton, a manservant who cannot tell a lie. Dorante, on the other hand, cannot tell the truth. He meets and falls in love with the witty and beautiful Clarice and spins a web of outrageous lies to attract her. Later, he mistakes her for her quiet friend, Lucrece, and courts the wrong girl, much to the dismay of Clarice. Unknown to Dorante, Lucrece is secretly engaged to his friend, Alcippe. He is also unaware that his father, Geronte, is trying to get him engaged to Clarice, who actually loves him—but he thinks she is Lucrece. Alcippe, now a violence-prone and jealous rival, and the ladies accuse Dorante of unfaithfulness and untruths. Dorante’s web of tangled lies paves the way for a great comedy, a multitude of mistaken identities, and sparkling romances. Will he be able to talk his way out of his sticky situations and into the arms of the right woman?
