Jacques Denoël

Bad financial conditions compel an aristocratic family to do strange work.

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.

The Secret Service abducts a "rocket scientist" to better protect him against gangsters acting for Chinese agents.

Frank Keany is the chief engineer of a uranium mine located under the overwhelming sun of New Mexico and owned by a woman, Moira Warden. She suspects her ex-husband want to take possession of the mine.

Francois is engaged to Isabelle. While going to buy the engagement ring, he meets Sophie, who puts the ring on her finger and does not manage to remove it. Francois follows in the footsteps of Sophie, who is married to an important merchant, in order to recover his property.

Alain Brécourt, a former pilot who distinguished himself during the war, meets Françoise Clozat, a test pilot. They become lovers, but Françoise learns that Alain is married to a singer. Françoise despairs, but Alain proves to her that he has been living away from his wife for some time. She meets the singer, no longer believes Alain, and attempts suicide during a flight. Her instinct for self-preservation saves her. Alain is the first to turn his attention to her: when she opens her eyes again, she receives the assurance of his love.

Marcel, rich and alone for Christmas, invite Françoise to celebrate with him. Soon, the fairy tale turns into a bad dream.

After being hurt in the face, Count de Roger Tinchebraye is forced to hide his disfigured face behind a leather mask. Dispirited for a while, he decides to become a Casanova-like seductor. When he meets true love, cynical Roger does not believe in it and lets pure Judith marry an old marquis. But once Judith's husband dies, he sees Judith again, shows her his disfigured face, which does not discourage the young woman from loving him. Nevertheless, he distances himself from her forever

Mr and Mrs Barbezat,Concierges are to marry their only daughter to a butcher's boy. Both the in-laws and the groom have an obsession: come what may, they are keen on honoring their engagements: promises are made to be kept is their motto. And when, on the wedding day, the unfortunate parents cannot provide the newly weds with...the "Mérinos" mattress which is part of the bride's Trousseau ,they are desperate. The husband will spend the whole wedding festivities trying to keep his word.

In 1935, in the Burgundian village of Valromey, Commissioner Desbordes was the very unpopular leader of the anti-alcoholic league. His own brother, Pimpin, is an unconditional defender of the vineyard. Pierre Moreau is, for his part, the representative of a hygienic drink, the "Koku-Kolu". The cafe owner's daughter, Rose, will find the man very to her liking and will manage to seduce him.