The death of emperor Marcus Aurelius throws the Roman Empire into chaos. As Marcus' devious son Commodus ascends to the throne, Maximus, a trusted general who served Marcus Aerelius, is set to be executed. Maximus escapes, but is captured and forced to become a gladiator.
During the Middle Ages, a self-proclaimed witchfinder goes from town to town, offering his services to superstitious villagers who pay him to wrench confessions from innocent women.
A switchboard operator gets caught up in the personal lives of the clients of an answering service, including that of a playboy. Based on the musical by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Jule Styne.
In July of 1899, newspaper tycoons Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise the distribution price of their papers. The newsboys, poor enough already, are outraged and organize a strike.