于连（杰拉·菲利浦GérardPhilipe饰）不过是一个普通木匠的儿子，可是野心满满的他却希望能够跻身于上流社会。战争年代过去了，想要当兵不成的于连只得成为了一名牧师，他来到了市长雷纳尔（JeanMartinelli饰）家担任家庭教师，却和市长夫人路易斯（达尼尔·达黎欧DanielleDarrieux饰）开始了一段不伦之恋。恋情败露后，于连灰头土脸的来到了巴黎，拉莫尔侯爵（JeanMercure饰）成为了于连的下一块“垫脚石”。很快，于连就和侯爵的女儿马蒂尔德（安东妮拉·卢阿尔迪AntonellaLualdi饰）相恋了，婚后，于连得到了他一直渴望的财富和名望，可是好景不长，很快，他就陷入了丑闻和阶级斗争之中成为了牺牲品。

十八世纪中叶，法国民众正在国王路易十五的带领下享受战争带来的乐趣。由于连年战争导致兵员锐减，军队不得不四处召募青壮。英俊青年芳芳（GérardPhilipe饰）流落小镇，与当地姑娘发生关系，为逃脱女方父亲的逼婚，芳芳只得加入军队。征兵军曹的女儿阿德琳（GinaLollobrigida饰）预言芳芳将成为将军，并迎娶国王的女儿。芳芳在入伍路上竟真的遇到国王之女蓬勃多，蒙赐郁金香一朵，芳芳从此对公主魂牵梦绕，没有注意到与他日久生情的阿德琳。为见公主，他夜闯行宫惹下大祸，阿德琳舍身搭救，让他得以在敌后大展拳脚。最终有情人终成眷属，而当初的预言也完全应验。本片获1952年柏林电影节最佳导演银熊奖，戛纳电影节最佳导演奖。

During the cold and rainy off-season a man arrives in a seaside town and, giving his name only as Pierre, checks into the only hotel which remains open. His arrival arouses curiosity and a degree of suspicion, as people note that he appears to know the area, yet gives no explanation for his presence at that bleak time of year in the dead-end town.

The last year of life of the Italian-French painter Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) who died with 36 years, was played by Gérard Philipe, who was lethally sick during the shooting of this movie and died shortly after its release, 1959, with 36 years - on one of the two diseases that Modigliano had himself and exactly in his age. Further, this movie was directed by Jacques Becker - after the sudden death of Max Ophüls. Becker, too, died only 2 years after this movie.