Tongues start to wag after a famous Parisian music hall dancer is rushed to hospital after being found poisoned by arsenic at the Concert Mayol.

Handsome and rich Spanish gentleman abandons his wife and riches for his love of a young girl of poor stock who taunts and degrades him.

Recently released from reform school, Élisa works at Madame Irma's before moving to Paris, where her success is growing. On a trip to the provinces, she meets Bernard, a blind man. They soon fall in love, but Élisa hides her activities from him. When he finds out, he hits her. The situation quickly degenerates.

Raven, a mobster just released from prison, settles the score by murdering Mendetta and her partner, who had turned him in. Having taken over Mendetta's various bars, he finds himself at war with other mobsters who want to kill him.

The Raffin Commissioner investigates the murder of an industrialist and it soon becomes apparent that the activities of the relatives of the deceased all revolve around the Folies-Bergere.

Pau is home to the famous "Red Berets". Four of them have forged close friendships: Dominique, a Corsican with the rank of master sergeant; Julien, a peasant; Dédé, a wild Parisian; Jean, a shy provincial. On free evenings, the four friends meet in a bar where Dominique is interested in the waitress and Dédé is in love with Paulette, the owner's daughter. One day, a car breakdown brings Jean into contact with a young girl from Paris: Brigitte. But Brigitte leaves again and Jean can't stop thinking about her. Because of their good behavior, the battalion to which the four men belong is chosen to represent their arm at the July 14th parade in Paris. In the capital, each of them tries to find their loved ones.

Around 1900, Zaza was the undisputed star of the "Variétés parisiennes". Bonded with pianist Cascard, she indulges in adventures and falls in love with handsome Bernard Dufresne. A short affair. Surprised by her friend's behavior, she believes he has a mistress in the provinces. In reality, he is married and Zaza, faced with her daughter, prefers to step aside. From now on, she'll live for her art, and will always refuse to renew her acquaintance with the man who made her suffer.

Madeleine Vernier, a renowned actress, is soon to perform a play written by her second husband, Gilbert Renaud. Her previous husband, Raymond, shows up and reveals to the young woman that the play is a transposition of a crime that Gilbert has always managed to hide. Disturbed and frightened, Madeleine regains her affection for Raymond, who is delighted, but mysteriously dies. The actress and author would have everything to fear from the police if Maguy, the couple's false friend, were the culprit. The curtain can finally be lifted.

To spice up a life that's too quiet, a couple of friends play at being gangsters, but end up meeting some real hoodlums.