Julian Sorel (Ewan McGregor) is a very ambitious man, he wants everything that wealth can bestow and the power to go with it. Having carefully mapped out how this will be achieved he decides his greater chance of success is to enter the church (black), rather than rise through the ranks of the army (scarlet). He is sent to work as a tutor to the children of Monsieur De Renal-an influential figure and soon finds himself well loved by the entire household, particularly Madame De Renal (Krige). A handsome adaptation of Stendhal's classic novel.