His works set against the backdrop of a post-Napoleonic France, the ambitious French novelist Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) is considered one of the founding fathers of literary realism. This documentary profiles the remarkable life and times of the man best known for the massive collection of writing comprising &NFi;The Human Comedy&NFi_;. Features include dramatic reenactments from Balzac's life and interpretation and analysis from noted Balzac scholars.