Acting
Gervaise Macquart is a beautiful Parisian laundress and mother whose lover, Lantier, walks out on her. She eventually marries Henri Coupeau, a roofer who has an unfortunate accident. As her now crippled husband descends into alcoholism, Gervaise tries to make ends meet on her own. Life becomes even more complicated when Lantier returns and befriends Henri. Meanwhile, the man she really loves is sent to prison.
Unable to go to America where he dreamed of making his fortune, Ulysse Sylvain decided to apply the methods that had been successful across the Atlantic to his parents' village. He posed as a buisinessman, won the confidence of the notables and transformed the village in the American style, complete with pin-ups, cowboys and so on. Tourists flocked to the village, but Ulysse's greatest idea was to put the cemetery into operation in the American style, and to attract customers with a splash of advertising. Concessions sold out fast, and everyone wanted their place for eternity... However, administrative obstacles are about to cause a catastrophe that Ulysses will avoid at the last moment.
Jean Nerac completes his medical studies, sure of a successful career, but less sure of his attempts with fellow student Marianne, who refuses to accept him. Nerac leaves for the Auvergne. An old doctor will soon die, but replacing him will be difficult, as one of Jean's colleagues has failed. However, with patience, skill, modesty and friendship, Jean Nerac overcame the mistrust of his patients. He settled in these austere mountains, and Marianne, convinced of the young man's worth, helped him with her presence.
Penelope Benson, known as Penny, is both romantic and determined. Put in a select boarding school by her mother, she takes advantage of a trip to Paris to get away from it all and live her own life. That's how she meets Antoine du Merlet, whom she takes for a young hoodlum when in fact he's a police superintendent. She spends the night at his place, which leads to a number of setbacks for poor Antoine, who is stigmatized by the headmistress, abandoned by his mistress and has to face a strip-tease session starring the unconscious Penny... But Penny's a spicy one and Antoine's a nice guy, so... !
A young journalist, Sylvia, has to interview a writer, Claude Chatel, whose success is due to his misogyny.
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.
