In this classic French satire, Louis, a convict, escapes from prison and takes on legitimate work, making his way up in the business world. Eventually becoming the head of a successful factory, Louis opts to modernize his company with mechanical innovations. But when his friend Émile finally leaves jail years later and reunites with Louis, the past catches up with them. The two, worried about being apprehended by police, long to flee the confines of industry.

Debt-ridden painter Michel is overcome with joy at discovering that he has just won 1 million florins in the Dutch lottery, but almost immediately, he discovers that his softhearted girlfriend, Béatrice, has given away his jacket containing the winning ticket to an elderly petty thief. Soon Michel, Beatrice and Michel's artistic rival, Prosper, are hurtling through the streets of Paris on the trail of the missing jacket.

Life is so dull in a quiet little neighborhood that gossips, eager for some kind of scandal to brighten things up, imagine their haberdasher has been having quite a raunchy sex life.

A famous painter loves Madeleine Granval, a rich and divorced society woman, who cheats on him. To console himself, he goes to Montmartre where he meets Denise Fleury, a young woman who has fallen into poverty.

Men including younger ones flock around a seductive older woman of mixed race, so that she forgets her age.Will she choose the one rightly destined for her?