A seemingly straightforward story takes a dark and twisted turn as we follow the mysterious death of Oscar, an elderly man in France who is "accidentally" run over by a train. According to the terms of his will, his estate cannot be settled until his youngest heir, a simple-minded man named Janot, reaches the age of 21. This stipulation sets the stage for a series of suspenseful and deadly events that unfold shortly after Oscar’s death.
The film begins with a crossing guard on an early morning shift. Due to a malfunctioning hearing aid, he mismanages the switching of train points, leading to a fatal accident for the train that ends up at the very end of the line. This accident marks the beginning of a string of tragedies, with Oscar’s death being just the first. Remarkably, it is later revealed that Oscar’s supposed losses from reckless business ventures are unfounded—his bank account holds a substantial amount of money, making him quite wealthy. This prompts a desire among his daughters to claim their inheritance, but they understand they must wait until Janot, their youngest sibling, comes of age.
Oscar’s daughters are introduced with contrasting personalities and situations. Valeria Ciangottini plays the unbothered youngest Colette, who shows little concern over the long wait for her inheritance—even though her policeman boyfriend Virgilio Gazzolo is somewhat disappointed by her indifference. Meanwhile, her older sisters face their own struggles. Femi Benussi portrays the dark-haired Simone, who is entangled in an affair with the shady club owner Jules, Isarco Ravaioli, while Giovanna Lenzi plays Rosalie, who is burdened with an obnoxious husband, Leon, Ivo Garrani, who is in debt with a loan shark. Tensions among the characters quickly escalate as tragedy begins to strike.
Shortly after Oscar’s death, Janot meets a tragic end himself, dismembered by a train—another seemingly accidental event, which hints at a darker underlying story. The string of murders continues as Rosalie and her husband perish unexpectedly, Jules is killed in suspicious circumstances, and Colette herself becomes a target of the killer. Inserting herself into this chaos is Tom Drake as Chief Inspector Gerard, an outsider tasked with investigating the series of murders. Under his leadership, the investigation intensifies, especially when Aldo Bruno’s character, Gerard, forces the prime suspect, Leon, to go into hiding. This results in a citywide chase, with Garrani’s character, Leon, convinced to hide Janot. Tragically, during the chase, Collette is murdered by an unseen assailant—an act that leads Garrani to take desperate measures, fleeing the scene before ultimately leaping to his death from a rooftop.
The storyline then pivots to Simone inheriting her father’s estate. Suspicion remains, and when Gerard takes her to catch the train, unsettling questions arise about her true intentions. Once home, she is attacked by Janot, who reveals shocking details: he staged Oscar’s death by placing his body on the tracks and confesses that his actions were motivated by greed. His plan was to accelerate his inheritance and eliminate anyone who might stand in his way, including Jules, who was also involved but was betrayed and murdered by Janot. The plot thickens with twists and revelations, including Janot’s manipulation of the police communication and his attempt to silence anyone who might expose him.
During a tense confrontation, Simone tries to escape after throwing a checkerboard at Janot, who then tries to kill her. Inspector Gerard arrives just in time, but shockingly, he is revealed to be Janot’s accomplice, tired of his life as a cop and involved in Janot’s schemes. A deadly climax ensues, with Janot doing the killing, and Gerard attempting to cover his tracks. Eventually, Janot is shot from an upstairs window but manages to fall to his death. Gerard flees, leading to a final showdown with Etienne, the policeman Virgilio Gazzolo, who intervenes during their fight in a boxcar. The confrontation spills into the outdoors, where Gerard tries to escape with Simone as a hostage. However, Etienne’s timely intervention results in Gerard’s defeat when Simone, demonstrating her strength and resolve, shoots Gerard dead.
The story concludes with a tense and dramatic sequence outside the train tracks. As Janot’s partner, Etienne, and Gerard struggle, Simone steps in, armed with a gun. Despite Gerard’s pleas for her to shoot Etienne and run away, she chooses to shoot Gerard instead. As Gerard dies, he warns her that this may be her only chance for happiness and warns she will likely be alone after all. The film closes with Simone and Etienne walking away into the night, having survived the deadly web of deception, greed, and murder.
This film is a complex tapestry of suspense, betrayal, and dark motives, blending psychological twists with a series of grisly murders orchestrated by a cunning killer who manipulates and murders those around him for personal gain. It’s a story that keeps viewers guessing until the very end, unveiling the layers of betrayal and greed beneath a façade of seemingly innocent family secrets.
