十九世纪的巴黎，贫困的冉•阿让（Jean Gabin）因为偷一块面包被判处十九年的苦役。出狱后，走投无路的他被好心的主教（René Fleur）收留过夜，可是他却偷走了主教的银器。警察将他抓获，准备再次将他投入监狱，临危之际，主教的谎言将他拯救，他也得到感化，化名开始了洗心革面的生活。 十年过去，冉•阿让通过努力成为成功的商人并当上市长，得知妓女芳汀的悲惨遭遇后，他担负起照顾其私生女儿柯赛特的责任。他没想到的是，多年后会重遇以前缉拿过他的警长沙威（Bernard Blier），对方不信他已改邪归正，一心要找他的麻烦，只因证据不足迟迟没能得手，然而，他的好运没能持续到八年之后。

1st full-length feature by the self-described Christian-atheist, it was made in occupied France after Bresson had done a year in a prison camp. There's nothing ostentatious i his style. It's sparse, no flashy camera-acrobatics or editing tricks. I always feel the best directors are those whose work you hardly notice. The story is set in a convent, Sisters of Bethany, it's purpose is to help women in prison rehabilitate. In it we find Anne-Marie, a somewhat proud & middle-class woman who comes to logger-heads w/Mother Superior & this leads to problems. Along the way she connects w/one of the more recalcitrant prisoners & recognizes her pain & need to be reached out to. Upon release the prisoner returns to join the convent under suspicious circumstances. What we have is a contrast in characters who come to the convent for different reasons & an exploration into spiritual matters. Well worth watching...