After the death of his father, Nicholas Nickleby (Derek Bond), and his mother (Mary Merrall) and sister (Sally Ann Howes) are cared for by his greedy uncle Ralph (Cedric Hardwicke), who accepts the duty rather unwillingly.
It is the year AD 203 in Carthage, North Africa. Perpetua, an affluent young mother, is charged with converting to Christianity and is sent to prison. But her freedom can be secured easily with a simple offering of incense in honor to the Roman gods. What will her decision be?