The struggle of a female doctor against superstition and healers.

Bob, a student, is very emotionally close to his mother Suzanne. He is alarmed when she seems about to begin a relationship with a novelist, regarding it as a betrayal.

François Jauréguy is a young Basque who would love to devote his life to God. But meeting Maïté and the example of the worker priests makes him doubt the wisdom of his choice. Marie-Jeanne, his mother, suffers from this situation. She knew a man, Jean Etchandy, who renounced the priesthood out of love for her. François supports him in his final moments, and celebrates his first mass before his mother's tender eyes.

How Robert, who does not manage to impose himself in the representation, sees his life turned upside down when he begins a career as a street vendor, which, thanks to his resourcefulness, turns out to be more and more brilliant.

Benoit, the head guard of Clouville Prison, prefers to be liked than feared. This basic principle transforms the jail-house into a joyful prison, where all the inmates live amicably together. Among them, various colorful characters : a farmer, a poacher, a distiller, a forger, two pickpockets, a safe-cracker, a gangster and... a good-looking guy who pleases Rosette, Benoit's daughter, well. But too much leniency takes its toll : after Vauclin, the gangster, manages to escape and a complaint is filed against "the deplorable disorder reigning in the joyful prison", Benoit is given early retirement. He will know how to take advantage of his new status live a joyful life with his wife, his daughter and André, his son in law, in fact the nice-looking young prisoner who, in the meantime, has been cleared of all charges.

Josette needs to marry within a year to get her aunt's money but her fiance has left.After getting permission from her godfather for a "white wedding, " she realizes she loves the godfather instead.