佩恩(泰德·巴勃考克 Todd Babcock 饰)是生活在上海租界里的一名美国医生,一次偶尔的机会,他认识了国民党特务皓明(陶泽如 饰)。皓明年轻时受十月革命的感召也曾有过伟大的红色理想,但白色恐怖的残酷却让他改变初衷,拿起了屠杀共产党的屠刀。皓明的妻子自杀前把女儿秋秋送进了教会学校,秋秋(梅婷 饰)长大后在共产党人靳(张国荣 饰)的影响下加入共产党并且与靳假扮夫妻隐匿在上海为身患重病的靳治病。秋秋出现在佩恩面前时,佩恩对这个美丽的中国女人一见钟情。然而当他得知秋秋和靳的故事之后,在决定不顾一切的帮助他们的同时,还见证了那段浪漫又凄美的红色之恋。The film tells of Dr. Robert Payne's adventures in Shanghai 50 years ago. Payne falls in love with beautiful Qiuqiu, the consort of revolutionary hero Jin, who is a communist leader in the Shanghai underground However, he suffers from seizures caused by old head wounds and becomes Payne's patient. Hao Ming is the brutal chief of the Guomintang secret police. In his hunt for Jin, he discovers that Qiuqiu is his long lost daughter. At a lavish father-daughter reunion, Qiuqiu gets her revenge and shots Hao Ming. She's been arrested and admits her guilt. When Jin realizes how much Qiuqiu loves him, he offers to give himself up in exchange for commuting Qiuqiu's death sentence...