Dignified but impoverished aristocrat Roman Prince Amerigo (Jeremy Northam), is engaged to American socialite Maggie Verver (Kate Beckinsale). The two were introduced by a common friend, Mrs. Fanny Assingham (Anjelica Huston). Maggie shares an extremely close relationship with her millionaire father Adam (Nick Nolte), a widowed tycoon living in England who intends to finance the construction of a museum to house his invaluable collection of art and antiquities in America.