Hôtel du Nord

At the Hôtel du Nord, a first communion party brings many of the building's occupants together, creating a microcosm of working-class Paris. The festive mood introduces the main players and hints at the fragile ties that bind them. The party sets the stage for jealousy, longing, and danger to follow.

Edmond, Raymonde's pimp, stays in their room to develop photographs he has taken, using the space to observe and manipulate others. His presence foreshadows the criminal undercurrents that run through the hotel. The scene highlights Edmond's control over the room and its inhabitants.

Renée and Pierre rent a room and reveal their plan to kill themselves because they cannot afford to marry or establish a home. They voice a desperate resolve that the future offers them nothing but hardship. Edmond is nearby in the same building, tying his fate to theirs.

Pierre shoots Renée but cannot bring himself to kill himself. Edmond bursts into the room, orders Pierre to flee, and then retrieves the pistol Pierre dropped. The violent moment leaves everyone shaken and scrambling for a safe exit.

Ambulance attendants rush Renée to the hospital after an emergency operation. Edmond tells the police that she was alone when he entered, but they doubt his story. The investigation begins to shape itself around conflicting alibis and sensational rumor.

Renée regains consciousness and learns Pierre is in custody for attempted murder. The police remain unconvinced that their case involved a suicide pact, treating the incident as a crime scene rather than a tragedy. The public and media complicate her attempts to tell her side.

Renée returns to the Hôtel du Nord to collect her belongings, and the owners offer her a room and a job to stay on. Her beauty becomes the subject of sensational newspaper coverage, drawing clients and attention from locals. Edmond begins courting Renée, presenting himself as a potential protector and partner.

Edmond confesses his criminal past to Renée and explains a plan to leave Paris with Raymonde to escape his enemies. He then shifts his attention to Renée, and she agrees to run away with him. The promise of a new life in Egypt tempts her away from the familiar hotel life.

Just as they are about to board a ship for Egypt, Renée slips away to return to the Hôtel du Nord. She seeks to reclaim her life there and face the consequences of her choices. The escape plan collapses as she seeks a different resolution to her predicament.

Renée learns that the case against Pierre has been dropped, so he will soon be freed. The outcome shifts the prospects for their future and alters the relationships built during the crisis. The neighborhood continues to watch and wait as the situation evolves.

On July 14, locals drink and dance in the streets, celebrating a national holiday. Edmond returns from Egypt, carrying unresolved business and a renewed danger around Renée. The festive exterior intensifies the tension that frames the final acts.

Renée warns Edmond that two released criminals are waiting for him in the Hôtel du Nord. He goes upstairs, and a gunshot rings out as Edmond is killed and the criminals disappear into the night. The murder ends Edmond's scheming and reshapes Renée's immediate future.

Just released from prison, Pierre arrives at the Hôtel du Nord and is reunited with Renée. The final moment ties together the fates of the two survivors amid the hotel's ongoing turmoil. The ending suggests a fragile renewal rather than a definitive escape from danger.