Max Doria

Midi Première is a French variety show presented by Danièle Gilbert, directed by Jacques Pierre and broadcast from January 6, 1975 until January 1, 1982 on TF1. The program was generally broadcast between 12:15 p.m. and 12:55 p.m., then giving way to the 1:00 p.m. TV news. However, the broadcast schedule could change, depending on the guests, and the setting where the recording of the program was shot. Certain performances by artists who have become cult like the one where Ringo jostles with a demonstrator in interpretation (1977), that of Dalida with the title There is always a song with the soundtrack that does not start, twice, at the right speed (1978), Claude François and his Clodettes, who, in the provinces, are unable to join "the set" in order to interpret his song, the latter being taken by the crowd of delirious fans (summer 1977) . The group Supertramp performed there with the title "Dreamer" on March 8, 1975.

In 19th century France, Jean Valjean, a man imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee a relentless policeman named Javert. The pursuit consumes both men's lives, and soon Valjean finds himself in the midst of the student revolutions in France.

Port of Marseille, France, recently liberated from the German yoke. Caught as stowaways aboard a ship, Manon, a young woman who was accused of collaborating with the Nazis, and Robert, a freedom fighter who saved her from reprisals, tell the captain about the many challenges they have had to face in order to survive.

"Le Dabe" retired many years ago and now he lives in the Tropics where he owns stables and horses. He is a very rich man. He was the king of all money counterfeiters. He is contacted from Paris to organize a new job. He says no. But when he finds out the the currency that should be counterfeited is the Dutch florin, he accepts immediately. He retired after having counterfeited 100 florin notes just before the Queen Wilhelmina retired them from circulation. He flies to Paris. But the gang is not to be trusted, at least not all of them.

An English teacher seduces a young student in the company of his wife to help him in an ambitious plan with the kidnapping of a newborn baby of a wealthy businessman.

L'Alpagueur is a free-lance spy from the French secret agency. He's put on the investigation about L'epervier, a serial-killer who employs young boys to help him robbing banks before killing them.

Albert is a Franciscan monk and a medical orderly at a monastery in France. Although he is German, the kindly monk helps hide French resistance members. Albert tries to maintain the delicate balance between the warring factions by helping out the afflicted and not getting involved in political ideology.

Mimile is a street singer and also a very inventive free rider. With his friend Georges, a musician in the same orchestra, they meet Arlette Sicleton and Lulu. Arlette is the sister of Sicleton, a sports event organizer and Lulu is the daughter of Ledoux, the supervisor in charge of tracking down free riders. After many misunderstandings, love will triumph.

On a rainy night, eccentric tramp Mr. La Souris finds a corpse. But the body soon vanishes in his car leaving only his wallet. While the police start investigating a missing person report, La Souris concocts a plan to secure his find.

In post-Liberation Paris, a man reunites with a friend and meets the woman of his dreams, only to discover her brother's dark past.

Released from prison, Arlette returns to her job as a cabaret star. The police try to get her to confess where the stolen jewels are hidden.

An Oriental villain named Halloway is called in by wealthy oil interests who want to destroy a dam project for hydroelectric power that may threaten their profits.

A young priest works as a barman in a Pigalle cafe in Paris. He tries to prevent the women there to prostitute themselves....

Fabienne believes herself to be cheated on by her husband Claude and divorces her. He leaves for America and does not return until eight years later. He then meets his daughter.

An innocent young man, burglar Cheri-Bibi, and his gangsters are sent to a penal colony.

Jean-Pierre, who has escaped from prison, tries to reintegrate into society with the help of workers at a construction site.

Louis saves a five-year-old girl, Monique, who wants to throw herself into the river. He consoles her, takes her home and nurses her back to health. Thanks to Monique, the old man regains his zest for life. Monique tells him that she has misplaced her mother's purse and is afraid to go home. Louis takes her back and continues on his way.

Odette Joyeux plays an eccentric young aristocrat called "Chiffon", who is struggling to comply with the social conventions of the community. A widow, her mother (Suzanne Dantes) would like to remarry a rich noble. Without realizing it, Chiffon is in love with her uncle, a ruined pioneer of aviation ...

In an aero-naval base, a marine engineer who was about to deliver the name of a redoubtable spy is murdered. Shortly afterwards three different men appear on the crime scene, each of them claiming to be Monsieur Sylvain, the expected sleuth. But which of the three investigators is actually Sylvain? And what about this delightful young lady who arouses one of the police inspectors? Couldn't she be the murderous spy?

This puzzling experimental film is written and directed by Raymond Rouleau, who uses effects like changing color tones and masks to put across a drama within a dance drama. The set is a sound stage and the actors in this film are dancers on the stage, performing a mime-ballet derived from one particular legend. Both the enacted legend and the actual events affecting the dancers are parallel. The lead dancer Isa (Ludmila Tcherina) is still nursing her wounds after her first love left her to stand alone at the altar. Now one of the dancers wants to expand his relationship with Isa -- and soon after, the cad who jilted her suddenly shows up again. Tragedy follows closely behind.