Simone's Mother
A meeting between the Swedish/French Simone and the Norwegian Stein at a book convention in Frankfurt turns into something more. They keep contact by phone and cassettes, but it seems they don't dare to take the relationship any further.
La mère de la petite fille
Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, René Le Guen será el encargado de ejecutar a un traidor de la Resistencia francesa, pero ya terminada la contienda continuará asesinando hasta que finalmente es detenido y condenado a muerte. Su abogado pedirá clemencia porque hace responsable a la sociedad de los crímenes cometidos por René.
Marie Fabre
It centres on the life of the entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre and his total devotion to studying insect behavior, travelling from Avignon to Paris, from Paris to his death in Sérignan. He is honoured by the French president Raymond Poincaré and his patience, obstinacy and knowledge are also recognised by Napoleon III, the publisher Charles Delagrave and the philosopher John Stuart Mill. They reach their climax in his book, Souvenirs entomologiques.
Béatrice Flavier
Elsa Lundestein, criada de Maurice Vaudreamont, le ayuda en todas sus investigaciones, ya que éste está afectado por un cáncer. Sin embargo Maurice consigue que Elsa le prometa que acabará con su vida en caso de que sus investigaciones no obtengan resultados. El problema es cuando el suceso es visto ante un jurado.
Yvonne (segment "Le retour de Louis")
In France in 1946, the difficult return to civilian life of five deportees and prisoners of war after having lived through the hell of the Second World War.
L'assistante sociale
1948. Madeleine is the headmistress of a kindergarten in Ménilmontant. Dr Libois, the school doctor, is very close to her heart. When Rose, a new helper comes to the school, Libois is impressed at once by her understanding of the little ones and her dedication to them. Little by little, Libois grows fond of Rose while becoming estranged from Madeleine. He eventually marries Rose.
Sophie Ivolvine
Muichkine, a young Russian prince, returns home to St. Petersburg from a mental institution, determined to spread decency and kindness in the harsh and cruel world. He becomes betrothed to an innocent young girl while trying to save a less-innocent woman from her own travail, but jealousy and his own naivete conjoin to bring about unimaginable tragedy.
Anne-Marie, una acaudalada joven, cree que ha encontrado su verdadera vocación al ingresar como novicia en un convento de monjas dominicas, que se dedica a la rehabilitación de mujeres delincuentes. La muchacha siente una extraña fascinación por Thérèse, acusada injustamente de homicidio, e intenta convencerla para que tome los hábitos y se arrepienta de sus pecados. Thérèse insiste en su inocencia, pero, cuando es puesta en libertad, asesina a balazos al autor del crimen por el que la encarcelaron y se refugia en el convento. Allí, no revela a nadie su secreto, mientras la investigación de la policía sigue su implacable curso.
