La Traversée de Paris

La Traversée de Paris

Year: 1956

Runtime: 80 mins

Language: French

Director: Claude Autant-Lara

DramaComedy

Jean Gabin and Bourvil star in a remarkable French film that balances tense suspense with sharp humor. In Nazi‑occupied Paris, two unlikely companions are hired to transport four suitcases brimming with contraband pork, navigating checkpoints, betrayals and the absurdities of wartime life.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – La Traversée de Paris (1956)

Trace every key event in La Traversée de Paris (1956) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Nightly black-market deliveries in occupied Paris

In 1942 Paris under German occupation, Marcel Martin is an unemployed taxi driver who makes a living delivering parcels by night for the black market. He must ferry four suitcases filled with pork meat across the city, a dangerous assignment that pulls him deeper into illicit activity. The setup establishes the tense, improvisational world in which the film unfolds.

1942 Paris, Occupied France
2

Basement slaughter mask with accordion

To hide the noise of the slaughter, Martin heads to the basement of grocer Jambier and plays his accordion as cover. The four suitcases of meat are prepared and hidden, revealing the brutal reality behind the black-market operation. The scene establishes the stark, dangerous compromises of survival.

1942 Basement of grocer Jambier, Paris
3

Restaurant meeting with the counterfeit accomplice

Martin and his wife Mariette go to the restaurant to meet what they believe is their accomplice. They learn that the man has been arrested by the police, overturning their plan. An ordinary meal becomes the prelude to a drastic, unpredictable new arrangement.

1942 Restaurant, Paris
4

Stranger Grandgil enters and is chosen as replacement

A stranger enters the restaurant and, after a misunderstanding, Martin invites him to share the meal and fill in for the detained accomplice. The choice sets the plot on a dangerous, unpredictable path. Grandgil's arrival marks a sudden reversal of the plan.

1942 Restaurant, Paris
5

Grandgil demands more money and terrorizes the grocer

Grandgil quickly proves uncooperative, first asking for a drastic increase in payment and then menacing the grocer Jambier. The tension escalates as their fragile arrangement begins to crumble. Martin is pulled into a reckless scheme driven by the painter's whims.

1942 Restaurant, Paris
6

Bar confrontation and bar wrecking

To avoid police pressure, the duo hides in a bar where Grandgil begins wrecking the place. His unpredictable behavior heightens danger for Martin and everyone around them. The bar becomes a flashpoint that intensifies the pursuit by authorities.

1942 Bar, Paris
7

Street confrontation with police and German taunt

Outside, a lone policeman challenges them, and Grandgil head-butts him to the ground. When two more policemen arrive, he speaks loudly in German, allowing them to retreat discreetly. The scene emphasizes the constant peril of occupying forces and their informants.

1942 Paris street, near bar
8

Escape to Martin's hotel and a cryptic call

The two retreat to the hotel where Martin lives with his wife, and Grandgil makes a quick phone call, again speaking in German. The exchange reveals Grandgil’s strategic and performative nature. The paranoia continues as the two try to stay one step ahead of discovery.

1942 Hotel, Paris
9

Air raid forces them to seek shelter

An air raid erupts, and the pair take refuge in Grandgil's apartment, creating a moment of shared vulnerability. The confinement deepens Martin's realization that his dangerous companion is not just a mercenary but a renowned painter. The fear and uncertainty heighten the suspense.

During air raid Grandgil's apartment, Paris
10

The painter's reveal and motive

When the danger subsides, Martin discovers that Grandgil is a world-famous painter who joined mainly for his own amusement and to extract money. He insists on returning the money he extorted, exposing the moral ambiguity of both men. The revelation shifts the dynamic from collaboration to uneasy complicity.

After shelter Grandgil's apartment, Paris
11

Arrival at the destination and a locked door

The two finally reach their intended destination only to find the place locked up. They rattle the bars and shout, drawing attention from a German patrol. The resulting panic leads to their capture and transport to military headquarters.

Soon after the air raid Destination building, Paris
12

Interrogation and the twist of fate

At the military headquarters, a German major recognizes Grandgil and nearly releases them. News arrives that a German colonel has been shot, and all French suspects are loaded onto a lorry; in the chaos, only Grandgil is spared. The event highlights the arbitrary nature of wartime justice.

During detainment Military headquarters, Paris
13

Years later: the train station recognition

Years after the ordeal, Grandgil leaves Paris for a holiday, with a porter carrying his bags to the train. When Grandgil tips him, he realizes the porter is Martin, uncovering the lingering connection between them. The final line, 'Still carrying suitcases?' punctuates the film's ironic cyclical motif.

Years later Paris train station

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:36

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La Traversée de Paris Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in La Traversée de Paris

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