The dangerous streets of Nanjing throw together a group of opposites, a flock of shell-shocked schoolchildren, a dozen seductive courtesans, and a renegade American posing as a priest to save his own skin, or so he thinks, all seeking safety behind a walled cathedral. Trapped by marauding soldiers, over the next few days the prejudices and divides between them will fall away as they unite around a last ditch plan to protect the children from impending...

In 1964 Paris, Madeleine works as a shoe salesgirl and a part-time prostitute. She falls in love with Jaromil, a Czech doctor she picks up, and the two continue to see each other for years despite Madeleine's marriage to another man. Meanwhile, Madeleine's daughter Vera has romantic trouble of her own: she is torn between her longtime boyfriend and an unobtainable American musician.

Lars is a sweet but shy guy who has a hard time talking with his family, coworkers, and neighbors. Although his family fears the worst when Lars brings home a life-sized companion doll who he thinks is a real girlfriend, named Bianca, a doctor encourages them to play along with him so that he can work through his delusions. The whole community rallies to his support, and Lars begins to deal with all of his emotions. He even begins to develop feelings...

Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen and devout Baptist virgin Marla Mabrey, under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes, arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver Frank Forbes, who is engaged to be married to his seventh grade sweetheart and is a deeply religious Methodist. Their instant attraction puts their religious convictions to the test, and also defies Hughes' number one rule: No employee is allowed to have any relationship...