Dissolute barrister Sydney Carton (Chris Sarandon) becomes enchanted and then hopelessly in love with the beautiful Lucie Manette (Alice Krige). But Lucie loves and marries Charles Darnay (Chris Sarandon), and remains oblivious to Carton's undimmed devotion to her. When Darnay is ensnared in the deadly web of the French Revolution and condemned to die by the guillotine, Sydney Carton concocts a dangerous plot to free the husband of the woman he loves.—Jim Beaver