Hugo Cabret is an orphan living within the walls of a Paris railway station in the 1930s, where he maintains the station's many clocks. He spends his time trying to repair a broken automaton left by his father, a quest that leads him to an embittered toy shop owner and his adventurous goddaughter. Through their discovery, Hugo uncovers the secret history of early cinema pioneer Georges Méliès, turning the film into a magical tribute to the power of movies.