特丽丝塔娜（凯瑟琳•德纳芙 Catherine Deneuve 饰）的母亲在临死前，把她托付给堂•路普（Fernando Rey 饰）照顾。衰老的路普衣食无忧，性格强势看重荣誉，但同时，也是镇上女人们所熟知的好色之徒。路普表面上是特丽丝塔娜的监护人，而他实际对后者抱有隐而未发的强烈欲望。 　　特丽丝塔娜在路普的家中感受到压抑，女仆和女仆的聋哑儿子也远不是她可以倾诉心事的友人。在一次外出中，塔里斯塔纳偶遇一位年轻的画家，后者令她看到了爱情的希望，知晓特丽丝塔娜处境的画家殴打了路普，两人一起离开小镇。不久，特丽丝塔娜罹患重病，无计可施的画家只好寻求路普的帮助……When the young woman Tristana's mother dies, she is entrusted to the guardianship of the well-respected though old Don Lope. Don Lope is well-liked and well-known because of his honorable nature, despite his socialistic views about business and religion. But Don Lope's one weakness is women, and he falls for the innocent girl in his charge, seduces her, makes her his lover, though all the while explaining to her that she is as free as he. But when she acts on this freedom, Don Lope must deal with the consequences of his world-view.