Afterashortsplitprologueshowingrichesastherootofevilinancientandmoderntimes，thefilmsettlesinto1914France，wheretheOrientExpressisabouttobewreckedwhenabridgewashesout.AmongthoseonboardareAlandTravis，AmericanswhoaretravelingEuropespendingTravis'money，andMarie，aGermangirl.TheboyssaveMarieafterthewreckandTravisfallsinlovewithher.WhenWorldWarIbreaksoutAlwantstoenlist，butTraviscan't，feelingloyaltoMarie，aGerman.By1917Alhasenlisted，andTravisfollowshimshortlyaftermarryingMarie.AccusedofbeingaGermanspybyaRussianagent，sheissentencedtodiebutisrecognizedbyTravis，whoispartofthefiringsquad.Thetowntheyareinisshelledandtheyarealltrappedunderground，duringwhichaministermakesalengthyparalleltoancienttimeswhentheKingofAkkadpersecutedhissubjectsanddefiedJehovah，whofinallysendsafloodtowipeoutmankind，exceptforNoahandhisfamily，whomhehasinstructedtobuildanarkandfillitwithtwoofeverycreatureonearth.