The film Danton, directed by Andrzej Wajda, is a historical drama that tells the story of the struggle for power during the French Revolution. The film opens with Georges Danton (played by Gérard Depardieu) living in exile in the countryside with his mistress Julie (played by Angela Winkler) after resigning from his position as Minister of Justice. He is summoned to Paris by his former ally and friend Maximilien Robespierre (played by Wojciech Pszoniak), who has become the leader of the Committee of Public Safety, a group of radical revolutionaries set up to defend the Revolution against its enemies.
Danton wants to reason with Robespierre to end the Reign of Terror and restore peace to France, but he discovers that Robespierre has become increasingly paranoid and consumed with his own power. He has set up a network of spies and informants to denounce anyone who opposes his policies, and Danton realizes that he and his allies are in danger of being denounced as traitors.
Despite opposition from his wife, Lucile Duplessis (played by Anne Alvaro), who fears for his safety, Danton returns to Paris and starts a campaign to win back public support. He attacks Robespierre's policies and calls for a new government that will protect the rights of the people and bring an end to the Reign of Terror. He gathers a group of allies, including Camille Desmoulins (played by Patrice Chéreau), Lucile's cousin who is a journalist and a passionate advocate of the Revolution, and Éléonore Duplay (played by Emmanuelle Debever), a wealthy woman who lends her support to Danton's cause.
However, Robespierre cannot tolerate any opposition, even from a former friend, and he decides to eliminate Danton and his allies. He uses his influence on the Committee of Public Safety to pass a set of laws that authorize the arrest and execution of anyone who is suspected of being an enemy of the Revolution. Robespierre's spy, Saint-Just (played by Roger Planchon), gathers evidence against Danton and accuses him of conspiring with the enemies of France.
Danton is arrested and put on trial with his allies. He makes a passionate speech in his own defense, asserting his loyalty to the Revolution and insisting that he is innocent of the charges against him. But the Revolutionary Tribunal, which has been corrupted by Robespierre, finds him guilty and sentences him to death. Danton is executed by guillotine, along with his closest friends, including Desmoulins and Duplay.
The film ends with Robespierre himself being arrested and executed during the Thermidorian Reaction, a popular uprising that brought an end to the Reign of Terror and marked the beginning of the end of the French Revolution. The film raises important questions about the nature of power and the limits of revolution, and it is a powerful and thought-provoking portrayal of one of the most tumultuous periods in French history.