Witty narration follows the history of Versailles Palace; founded by Louis XIII, enlarged by autocratic Louis XIV, whose personal affairs and amours, and those of his two successors, are followed in more detail to the start of the Revolution, after which the story is brought rapidly up to date. A huge cast plays mainly historical persons who appear briefly.
A publicity-minded French mayor reunites quintuplets and their earthy father, all six played by Fernandel.
Le Cas Du Dr. Laurent (The Case of Dr. Laurent) stars Jean Gabin as a Paris-based doctor who tries to spread the gospel of Natural Childbirth. Working in a cloistered rural community, Gabin runs up against the stone walls of fear and prejudice. His theories are proven sound when unwed mother Nicole Courcel gives birth within Gabin's methodology. The childbirth sequence is filmed straight-on with a delicate combination of taste and frankness. Nonetheless, the lurid ad campaign of Cas Du Dr. Laurent sensationalized this sequence all out of proportion.
Brigadier Le Gouce and Private Flicot lose their horses during a campaign in Italy. To avoid looking ridiculous, the two hussars cross the country in search of their mounts. But when they are mistaken for deserters, their regiment gives chase.
Antonin, Honoré and Papillote are sailors on the ship "L'Invincible". The three friends are in love with three pretty girls in Toulon: Honoré is in love with Mireille who, as for her, loves Antonin, and Papillote only has eyes for Angèle who, after a fifteen-month-long cruise,presents him a newborn baby that she claims is their son! A new woman appears: Patricia, as sexy as she is mysterious. Antonin, although disconcerted, falls under her spell. What he does not know is that Patricia is not a journalist as she says she is but a secret service agent who has been assigned the mission to investigate Eric Bergen, a shady fellow the trio meets everyday at Arsène's Café.
