Monique Joyce

Gilbert Quercy, 18, tried to commit suicide after a heartache. At the hospital, three women try to cheer him up : the three former wives of his father, an archaeologist and an egyptologist, whom Gilbert called his "mothers". These women show a lot of willingness, but soon will become intrusive.

An honest but naive young man is manipulated by a gang of crooks who use him as as a cover for their misdeeds. His honesty will be rewarded though and he will find the way to the heart of his beloved.

Banker Jules Taffard, a true financier, is a shrewd money-handler. Imprisoned for an alleged swindle, his trial seems to be upsetting those in the government, who may not be so far removed from Taffard's affairs (Affaire Alexandre Stavisky). He escapes from La Santé prison without any difficulty, and the authorities don't seem to be doing anything to find him... Under the false name of Gédéon, he becomes a modest handyman in a corset shop run by Madame Génissier, whose morality is as pious as it is legendary. Her son, Hector Génissier, is a foolish young man with no ambition, much to the regret of his young wife, Fernande Génissier. But it won't be long before Gédéon shows his skills in expanding the modest family business. How far can Gédéon's ascent go before Taffard's voice resounds through Gédon?

Middle-aged Georges of the "old school" who offers shelter and comfort to Marcelle. Despite his own reservations, Georges falls in love with the much-younger girl, remaining faithful to her even after he realizes that she cares only for his money.

Duparquet is the controller of Les Halles, and plays matchmaker between the young farm-girl Ciboulette and Antonin, a young spoiled aristocrat.

Freshly married, Yvonne and Jacques discover on their return from their honeymoon that they are poor and that their respective parents have lied to them. They are going to have to work hard; but everything will work out eventually.

A disillusioned rich American bets with a railroad worker that the latter will not be able to spend the 600,000 francs a month that he will pay him for a year. All the railwayman's attempts to win his bet fail but his daughter luckily conquers the American.

Cora Pearl, a demi-mondaine under the Second Empire, falls in love with a legitimist while she is the mistress of Jérôme Bonaparte, the cousin of Napoleon III.