A classic detective thriller marks the first film made by Director Clouzot following the ending of the ban imposed on him for his wartime filming of Le Corbeau. Shot through with his perception of the connectedness of society and the understandable emotions that drive those in the seedy underworld of Paris to desperate measures. Clouzot's camera has a sympathy and humour for every one of the inhabitants of the nightclub. He follows their easy movements through a world of shadows to build a vision of 1940's Paris where no door is closed and all are equal in their emotions, flaws and capacity redemption by love. Even the Police Inspector and crippled ex-Legionaire Antoine who must trace each of them as he investigates murder.