In1940,VarianFrytraveledtoMarseillecarryingthreethousanddollarsandalistofimperiledartistsandwritershehopedtohelpescapewithinafewweeks.Instead,hestayedmorethanayear,workingtoprocurefalsedocuments,amassemergencyfunds,andarrangejourneysacrossSpainandPortugal,wheretherefugeeswouldembarkforsaferports.HismanyclientsincludedHannahArendt,MaxErnst,MarcelDuchamp,andMarcChagall,andtheraceagainsttimetosavethemisataleofforbiddenlove,high-stakesadventure,andunimaginablecourage.