Towards the end of the 19th century, the Duke of Gerolstein traveled to Paris. Sixteen years earlier he had a daughter who was taken from him by her mother who was chased out of the palace. After many dramatic adventures, the Duke finds his daughter in the person of Fleur de Marie, martyred throughout her childhood by the Owl and the schoolmaster.
A woman's marriage is on the rocks ; to avenge herself, she decides to take a lover for one night .So she buys all his stock from a balloon man and flies them through the Parisian sky ; all her balloons carry a message :"I will be alone after midnight" (hence the title); a lot a suitors comme to the rendezvous : a fisherman, a soldier, a traveler , a gentleman cambrioleur (a nod to Arsène Lupin?) and others ,much to Michel, a young man in love with her's displeasure.
It tells the story of Marie, an austerely beautiful young peasant girl played by the French star, Annabella. She is seduced beneath a flowering tree by the admirer of one of the daughters of the prosperous family for whom she works, becomes pregnant and is cast out.
On his wedding night with Hilda Bergmann, the daughter of a swedish chemist, the young and rich american Willy Keanton is stabbed by an unidentified masked man. He kidnaps the young woman, who is found later on by the count Robert d'Arbel. The detective Jacques Miral, nicknamed « the pointed tower's ferret » is put in charge of the case. Soon, he discovers that an international bandit, Méphisto, seeks to seize the formula of a process against asphyxiating gas, invented by professor Bergmann. The struggle is tough between Miral and the uncatchable Méphisto. Monique Aubray, Keanton's secretary and engaged to the detective, the Nostradamus stallholders and the « mastiff of Bordeaux », and the famous novelist Fortuné Bidon are also involved in the case...
The story takes place on the Riviera, where the title character may or may not be involved in various shades of skullduggery, including murder.
In order not to compromise the great music hall star with whom he spent the night, a man is accused of a murder he did not commit.
Philippe and Sylvie have to do with Alvarez, a dangerous gang leader. They break up with him and commit robbery and murder. Sylvie suggests that Philippe take refuge in his quiet family. His younger sister Antoinette attracts and charms Philippe and excites the jealousy of Sylvie who informs Alvarez. The police get involved and Philippe is killed during a merciless fight.
Professor Bock is to inaugurate the museum, the construction of which was donated by a generous patron who remains anonymous. He learns that it is his brother's wife, a former dancer, and whom he hates. But her daughter falls in love with Jim, the son of the ex-dancer, and everything will work out.
A singer who is believed dead returns with a decidedly different appearance. He has been in Russia and has lost his memory. But his wife still loves him.
An expressionist comedy greatly influenced by German Expressionism set in a bohemian enclave of northern Paris, which Clouzot made shortly before he served as assistant director to Anatole Litvak and E.A. Dupont and began scripting French versions of German films at Berlin’s UFA studios.
As its title indicates, La Mort du Cygne (The Dying Swan) is set in the special world of the ballet. Young dance student Janine Charrat idolizes her teacher-role-model Yvette Chauvire, and will do anything to help Chauvire further herself.
Mathilde Strangerson, the daughter of an eminent scientist, narrowly escapes being murdered in her own bedroom by an unknown assailant. As the room was locked from the inside, no one can understand how the attacker managed to enter or leave the room. Reporter and amateur sleuth Joseph Rouletabille arrives on the scene to protect Mathilde and resolve the mystery of the yellow room.
In Italy, in 1736, Pergolese is in love with Maria. But Maria's brother, Count Raniero, forbids his sister to marry a modest composer. Pergolese kidnaps the young girl, but they are caught. Maria is locked up in her castle while Pergolese dies in the convent that takes him in.
