Three stories about the pleasure. The first one is about a man hiding his age behind a mask to keep going to balls and fancying women - pleasure and youth. Then comes the long tale of Mme Tellier taking her girls (whores) to the country for attending her niece's communion - pleasure and purity. And lastly, Jean the painter falling in love with his model - pleasure and death.
Feb 1952
Good dope is becoming rare in the North of Paris. Drugstores are being raided by junkies and gangs are nervous, fighting each others: the 'Viets', the 'Blackies', the 'Arabs', the neo-nazis 'Justiciers' and some mean gays. Vincent (Daniel Auteuil) is the good cop coming from Marseilles where he was a gangster. He's a soft method guy but also kicks assses hard and throw lethal dialog lines when needed. With the precious help of 'l'Arbalète'* (Marisa Berenson**), a tox' prostitute ex-member of Vincent's former gang, he will try to put order in that mess. There's also a violent and racist cop (Marcel Bozzuffi), Algeria veteran with hard methods, whose role could be more than to protect and to serve.
Nov 1984
Commissaire Perrache, the chief of the D.S.T., the French domestic intelligence service, tries to neutralize a group of terrorists named the Partisans de la Métropole. He sends one of his best agents, inspector Louis Vignon, incidentally the husband of his charming secretary Lucette, on the trail of an illegal transmitter. But Vignon gets kidnapped by the gang and held captive on a boat off the shores of Monaco...
Aug 1957
A gang of young tugs led by Frankie, opens a nightclub just in front of a gangster's hideout. Morelli is his name and he prepares the stealing of the century.
Oct 1968
Having fallen out with his girlfriend Dolorès, Juanito leaves for Mexico, where he becomes a famous matador.There he meets a Viennese singer, Fanny Miller, who falls for him so much so that she intercepts the letters Dolorès keeps on sending him. In desperation, Dolorès devotes all her time and efforts to dance and she becomes the celebrated dancer Estrellita. After a series of misunderstandings and ups and downs, the sun of Andalusia will finally reunite the two lovebirds.
Mar 1951
Juanillo is in love with Dolores, the daughter of the owner of an inn. He likes to sing, she likes dancing. After the village festivals, where Juanillo has acted as a bullfighter and Dolores has performed, he has been hired as bullfighter for a tour in America. They exchange vows, but their letters will be intercepted.
Young and handsome Armand Duval falls in love with Marguerite Gautier, a 'demi-mondaine'. He manages to persuade her to give up her life as a courtesan and they both settle down in the country. Tthe beginning of their idyll is like a dream but a short-lived one as their relationship is considered scandalous by Armand's family. During a secret visit to Marguerite, Armand's father convinces her to leave his son, which she does broken-heartedly but out of love for Armand. Her end will be doubly tragic; not only does she suffer from terminal tuberculosis but she is abandoned by everyone, including by Armand, who believes she has betrayed her. At long last, learning the truth, Armand rushes to her bedside and Marguerite has the joy to breathe her last in his arms.
Nov 1953
Six young boarding girls return home unexpectedly after their college has been destroyed by fire. Their unexpected presence arouses melodramatic reactions.
Apr 1943
Recently released from prison, Samuel Malakian, a wealthy architect, investigates the disappearance of his daughter, Nathalie, kidnapped by thugs linked to the underworld. When he discovers that she is a prostitute, he will descend into the slums of the city and rub shoulders with these dangerous environments. For him, from now on, all means will be good in order to find the fruit of his entrails.
Jun 1974
Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertable car by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in pocession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumtion, his wife trying to sell it to make ammends meet, getting into traffic jams, accidently riding into a car wash with the top down, and more.
Sep 1961
Veterinary surgeon William Chaminade is having a peaceful holiday in the South of France when he is witness to an event that will change not only his life but the destiny of France! A young woman tries to kill herself by jumping from the upstairs window of the hotel where he is staying. Thanks to the services of a passing athlete, the woman is unharmed, and she reveals that her distress is down to her husband’s apparent lack of interest in her. Immediately, Chaminade has a brainwave. He will open a special centre for people like this unfortunate young woman, who will be able to satisfy their romantic needs, at the tax payers’ expense. All is well until this innovative ’pleasure centre’ draws the attention of an over-zealous tax inspector, Dupuis...
Feb 1970
A sporty and chivalrous young man creates, with some comrades, a society whose goal is to protect honest people against rogues. He finds himself thrown into unforeseen adventures, at the end of which he will discover love.
Oct 1944
A good man wanting to spend the afternoon with his girlfriend lets his wife think he is going to the races.
Jul 1931
Jean Brevent still did not understand the departure of his wife, Danielle Darieux. It's been five years, but he still can't forget her. In spite of a work of writer originator in a newspaper, in which it tried to be invested completely, time did not make its work. One day, by chance, he meets her in the bus...
Nov 1958
The story of a French officer who is assumed dead during the Napoleonic Wars, but returns ten years later to a very different France, both on a political and personal level. The film is based on the novel Colonel Chabert by Honoré de Balzac.
Dec 1943
Sabine Gravières, married to Edouard, the High Commissioner for Criminal Youth, has a problem: Juliette, her daughter, is not only pregnant but she also refuses to marry Claude, the young man who got her pregnant. It is fair to say that the model set by Juliette's parents is far from ideal. Aware at last of the problem, Sabine decides to try and make it up with her husband.
Feb 1955
Because they brought her back a lost piece of jewelry, a very rich lady accedes to the request of three old people and transforms a vacant lot into a park for the neighborhood children.
Nov 1936
Princesse Nadia Vronskaïa is a veteran con artist who uses her feminine wiles to bilk wealthy, susceptible old men. Inevitably, she outsmarts herself when she falls in love with one of her victims. In concert with her new beau, she turns the tables on her former partners in crime.
Feb 1957
An employee at a jewelry store falls in love with a woman who secretly plans to rob the store.
Jun 1939
Rosine, who spends her time as a model, has to deal with the advances of a disreputable young man.
Mar 1942