Captain Justin Mollenard works for a company that sells armaments to the Far East. After an eventful stay in Shanghai, where he and his cargo are the victim of a malicious attack, he returns to his hometown of Dunkirk. Mollenard receives a frosty welcome from his wife Mathilde, who resents the way in which he has neglected his family for so many years. Mollenard’s only wish is to get back to sea as soon as he can, but a sudden heart-attack leaves him paralysed and entirely in his wife’s power...

Rémy (Robert Lynen), a stolen child is adopted by a wandering singer. With him and his trained animals, Rémy travels the roads of France. But his adoptive father dies and Remy, who has knowledge of a boy who knows something of his history, sails for England to find his mother.

After the death of her husband, Christine realizes she has possibly wasted her life by marrying him instead of the man towards whom, in her youth, she had a stronger inclination. To overcome these dreary thoughts, she decides to find out about him and the other men who danced with her during a ball that was a turning point in her life, many years ago. She pays a visit to those forgotten acquaintances one after the other; Christine is not only surprised to see how they have fared, but also discovers the impact she had, unknowingly, on the feelings and the destiny of these persons.

Grigou owns a patch of land between farmers Martin's and Aubert's fields. Both covet this plot.As Grigou has lost the title deed,the mayor of the village decides to sell it.After an interminable auction sale, Aubert carries the day .To add insult to injury,shortly after, Martin is expelled from his farm,and becomes an innkeeper (a doomed inn where the former owner hanged himself). Ten years after, Aubert's daughter falls in love with Martin's son.Their fathers being deadly enemies, their marriage seems impossible.

King Michel VIII is still a child, but when revolution threatens, the young monarch's entourage lies to him and even tries to get rid of him.

Florimond, a dangerous smuggler, and his mistress Viviane try in vain to transfer illegal precious stones. When Viviane gets to know young Théo, a naive young peasant, she immediately capitalizes on the encounter. Thanks to her charm, she seduces him into becoming her accomplice. And, naturally, the operation is a success. Unfortunately for Florimond and Viviane, things soon go awry. Indeed, Théo's godfather, a customs officer, who has heard of the affair, lectures Théo and makes him become aware of the offense he has committed. The young man now wants to makes amends. Which is not to Florimond's liking.

A red-haired boy is his mother's punching bag; only his father's presence is a great comfort to him, but this weak man is under the shrew's thumb. His pain is so great he feels suicidal.

Five unemployed workers win 100,000 Francs in the national lottery. Instead of sharing the money, they buy a ruin and build an open-air cafe. But difficulties come to split their friendly group apart.

Prince Sacha studies in Paris and cares more for Marianne than about Silistrie, the country his family was exiled from. But Chautard, a French financier, who has business there (the country is rich in oil), wouldn't mind a little political stability. So why not restore the ancient royal family to the throne? But is Prince Sacha up to his role ? And will Marianne make a suitable princess?

Now that their parents are ruined, Jacques Eyssette and his younger brother Daniel, are driven to fend for themselves. Jacques becomes the secretary of a marquis who exploits him by making him work so hard that his health gets damaged. Daniel, on his part, is hired as a supervisor and Latin teacher in a school in the province. It soon happens that he is in a bad situation too as, after being subjected to repeated harassment, he ends up being fired. Daniel then decides to join Jacques in Paris, hoping to embark on a literary career. Unfortunately, Irma Borel, an actress, sets her sight on him and drags him into a life of vice.

Father Boquet, old and sad, hopes that François, his son, will be a fisherman like him. Alas, François follows his evil genius Simon to town and succumbs to the charms of the great Lisa. The wise village teacher sets out to find him when his father is ill, and brings François back in a violent storm. Love is on the way

Two campers meet two young girls in the Landes. Love will bloom, with its heartbreaks.