Gilles Grangier

Pascal makes a modest living selling newspapers on the streets of Paris. He may have a surly temperament but he is a good natured soul at heart, always ready to help a fellow creature if he can. Naturally, when he sees a man jump into the River Seine, he does not hesitate to come to his rescue. The visibly distressed man, Didier, reveals he was driven to this desperate act by his family, in particular his wife Catherine who is determined to rob him of his fortune. Moved by this tale of woe, Pascal offers to help Didier in any way he can. Didier suggests that they go back to his house to pick up some money. As he enters the house, Pascal unwittingly falls into a carefully laid trap. Alerted by Catherine, the police suddenly turn up and find the body of a dead man in the house. Read More »

Synopsis:
‘Retired military officer Richard Briand-Charmery, known to all as “The Commandant”, gambles every centime he has on horse racing bets. When his luck is down, he supplies his friends with false betting tips, knowing that the friend whose bet comes off will give him a fraction of the winnings. One day, Richard meets up with an old flame, Maud, and passes an evening with her at his expense. To pay the bill for the evening’s extravagance, the Commandant tries his scam on a naive restaurateur, Ripeux…’
– Films de France Read More »

Pleasure-seekers deal with the official closing of French bordellos after the passing of the 1949 legislation outlawing the houses of ill repute. Part two finds a former prostitute who is besieged by former associates after she pulls off a successful robbery attempt. The final segment has a wealthy but sanctimonious patron offering a joy girl a place to stay. His house becomes a popular meeting place when his friends and the prostitute’s friends get together for fun and games. Read More »

Synopsis:

“A man is shot dead in the centre of Paris and the witness to the murder finds himself the next target in a vendetta between American gangsters. Inspector Maigret is charged with protecting the witness and resolving the mystery of the killing….”
– Films de France Read More »

Quote:
Archiméde is an old tramp who likes to think he is a cut above the rest. Not for him the penury of sleeping under bridges and scrounging for scraps in dustbins. He has a taste for the finer things in life – good food, fine wine and a comfortable place to make his bed. His present abode – a room in a block of flats that is being developed – has served him well all through the summer, but as winter beckons it will be too cold for him. He can either get himself arrested, in the hope of eaming himself a nice warm prison cell, or else he can sleep rough in the south of France. After much deliberation, he decides prison is the better option, if only because the food is more to his liking. To that end, Archimede smashes up a bar and gets duly taken into custody. He is appalled when he only manages to get himself put away for one week. It seems he will have to resort to more drastic measures if he is to find a comfortable haven for the entire winter… Read More »