Jacques St. Ives (Jean Marc Barr) is a much-envied officer in Napoleon's army who requests a demotion in rank so as to avoid a number of duels from fellow officers, who may challenge only those of an equal rank. To his shock, Jacques is demoted to the rank of private by a furious commander and is sent to the front where, through a mishap, he is taken prisoner and sent to Scotland where the prison warden is a bored British officer, Major Farquar Chevening (Richard E. Grant). The major lusts for a local lovely, Flora (Anna Friel), but she lusts for Jacques; Flora's randy aunt Susan has eyes for the major, while Flora arranges an escape for Jacques with his long-lost grandfather, and the major takes lessons in womanizing from Jacques. In a nasty turn, St. Ives' bitter and violent brother (Jason Isaacs) plots to kill Jacques before he can assume their grandfather's inheritance.