When the jaded, cancer-ridden founder of an exploitative media empire develops a conscience in his old age, he founds a boarding school for artistically gifted children. Based on the premise that true art springs from sorrow, his pupils are subjected to as much suffering as is humanly possible in an attempt to help them realise their full potential. To each pupil is assigned a sadistic "protector" and to the most gifted student of all, Vincent Spinetti, comes Harlan, an ex-musician who takes his job very seriously indeed. Thanks to Harlan's efforts to fill Vincent's life with catastrophe, Vincent's genius comes to full fruition. The more pain Vincent experiences, the greater his art and the deeper his friendship with Harlan becomes. But Vincent doesn't know what Harlan's job really is.