Thomas Ince (Cary Elwes) used to be powerful in Hollywood. He founded a movie studio and made many movies and lots of money. But his life has taken a turn for the worse. He goes on a cruise and tells William Randolph Hearst (Edward Herrmann) that he wants to join forces with him so they can make films together. But Hearst is distracted because Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard) is wooing Hearst’s lover, Marion Davies (Kirsten Dunst). Hearst is so obsessed with Marion that he will do anything to get Chaplin out of their lives. His paranoia disrupts the party atmosphere on the cruise ship.