DirectorGeorges Lacombe
Release Year1939
Main Cast
Lucien BarouxCommissioner Boucheron, district police officer
Jacques BaumerInspector Lambert of the Sûreté
Jules BerryAlfredo d'Avila, dancer of these ladies
Gaby MorlayGaby Valrose, minister's lover
Elvira PopescuMrs. Rameau, wife of an industrialist and mistress of Alfredo
Michel SimonPicking, knife-throwing artistSynopsis
In the elevator of two large Parisian buildings, a telegraph operator discovers the body of an elderly woman, Madame Mathieu, the owner of both buildings. Boucheron, the local superintendent, is dispatched to investigate, along with his rival, Inspector Lambert of the "Sûreté". To solve the enigma, they scour staircases and corridors, visiting every floor of both buildings, courtyard and facade. Their gruff rivalry allows them to complement each other in discovering who committed the crime among a gallery of characters, humble or rich, who all have something to be ashamed of... A rare, fast-paced, picturesque comedy set against the backdrop of a police mystery.
