Carmen, the fiery gypsy cigarette girl, gets any man she wants - and then gets rid of him when a better one comes along. When she sets her sights on Corporal Don José, he doesn't have a chance. He's smitten and gives up everything - his career, his mother, even the girl he's going to marry - to be with sultry siren. For a while, they revel in passion. But then Carmen meets a famous matador, and she dumps Don José in a heartbeat. This time, though, Carmen has finally pushed a man too far - and she pays for it with her life.