To investigate the moral decay in his community, the Duke of Vienna disguises himself as a friar and empowers his trusted deputy Angelo to rule in his “absence.” Resorting to an old law against fornication to enforce his strict standards of morality, Angelo condemns Claudio for impregnating his beloved Juliet. When Claudio’s sister Isabella, in training to become a nun, pleads for her brother’s life, Angelo hypocritically uses his power to try to blackmail Isabella into his bed. As Isabella confronts an impossible decision, a clever plot emerges, leading to several surprising twists and a measure of justice for all.