Maurice, Sami, Simon, Elie and Edouard are still undiscovered acting talents even though they´re pushing forty. One day a famous American director comes to Paris to cast the lead for a Yiddish version of the Merchant of Venice - and he fulfils Maurice´s lifelong dream. Completely beside himself, Maurice hurries home to tell his wife the wonderful news, but Perla also has something important to tell him: she has just found out that she is seriously ill. Under the pressure of these sombre circumstances, Maurice is entirely unable to tell her that, in the end, an American star got the part of Shylock. With the help of his friends, he pretends to be busy in preparations for the upcoming play. Perhaps this will be the most important and difficult role of his life...