Состоятельный владелец мануфактуры, Франсуа Донж, попадает в госпиталь, будучи отравленным своей женой Элизабет. Борясь за свою жизнь, Франсуа вспоминает всю историю своих взаимоотношений с ней. Всё началось 10 лет назад, когда уже вполне состоятельный Франсуа встречает молодую девушку, ищущую любви - Элизабет...
Le juge d'instruction (uncredited)
Identite Judiciare stars Raymond Souplex as wily French police inspector Basquier. The villain is Berthet (Jean Debucourt), a high-ranking government official. Basquier suspects that Berthet is a vicious murderer, but is unable to prove anything thanks to bureaucratic interference. Thus, the good inspector plays a waiting game a la Columbo, hoping for that one fatal slip on the part of the killer. Certain portions of Identite Judiciare proved a bit too intense for American audiences, and were accordingly snipped by the censors.
Lespinois, postmaster
Story is primarily based on the adventures of Antoine, a young telegraph messenger on his second night of work. He is given three telegrams, one of which is for the president of the Camber of Deputies. Excited, Antoine runs his bicycle into a truck and loses the telegrams. What follows is an amusing and agonizing search for the missing messages. He is assisted first by a glum, wise-beyond-her-years little girl, Amelie; an off-duty police superintendent, a schoolmaster, a cookie-tin maker and a fireman. The harmonica musical theme is played by Flore Falvey.
Armezac
World War I aviator Carbot attempts to establish a commercial airline after the war, for the purpose of delivering the mail to the outermost regions of France.
Teacher (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.
В некоей германо-говорящей стране (напоминающей Австрию во время упадка), королева-вдова приезжает в замок Кранц, чтобы дать бал в честь годовщины своей свадьбы и находИться подальше от преследующей её эрц-герцогини, матери покойного короля. Десять лет одиночества сломили дух молодой вдовы — она готова расстаться с жизнью и носит с собой яд. Ночью, в её покои попадает раненный анархист и поэт Станислас, похожий на короля как две капли воды...
Amédée Boiron
On the banks of the Rhône, not far from Tain l'Hermitage, Alcide Garonne, an old ferryman - and incidentally a poacher - lives out of wedlock with Victorine Rousset nicknamed Maryse, a colorful tramp. When Garrone's son, Pilou, a worker, falls in love with Augusta, the mayor's daughter, the unconventional old couple tries to protect the unconventional young pair from the disapproval of self righteous villagers.
An alcoholic doctor accidentally kills someone and manages to make the death look like an accident. The episode triggers a sense of confidence and he resolves to correct the miseries of his life.
