Since the suicide of his wife, Jacques Loursat has gone downhill. Estranged from his daughter, his lawyer's pratice in ruins, he consoles himself with drink. One night he is woken by a gunshot and catches sight of a young man fleeing the house. Isabelle, his daughter, claims to know nothing about it, even when he finds the body of a young man. Isabelle hangs around with a gang of spoiled young people who have no shortage of money, and is in love with Joel, an ambitious boy involved in drug dealing. Antoine, from a more modest background, is in love with her. When the police start investigating Joel's murder, Antoine becomes the ideal suspect.
Al teniente coronel Pierre Raspegury, jefe de una división paracaidista del ejército francés derrotada en Vietnam, le comunican que ha sido relevado de su puesto y que su regimiento ha sido disuelto. Gracias a las influencias de la Condesa viuda De Clairefons, consigue un nuevo destino en Argelia en una misión de paz. Ella le promete que se casará con él si vuelve convertido en general. Sin embargo, lo que hace Raspegury es intentar persuadir al capitán Esclavier y a otros camaradas para vengar juntos la humillación sufrida en Vietnam.
