Power-hungry tax collector Don Salluste de Bazan (Yves Montand) is banished from the Spanish Court and decides to use his valet, Blaze (Louis De Funès), to take his revenge. In disguise, Blaze fills Don Salluste's vacant position and plans to have an affair with the queen (Alice Sapritch), which the vengeful ex-collector will then reveal to the king (Alberto de Mendoza). Instead, Blaze and the queen fall in love, and the valet uses his newfound power to help end mistreatment of the poor.