Lijmen/Het been

During a 1938 auction, Boormans bids 32,000 Belgian francs for a worthless piece of paper. The bid triggers concerns about his sanity and he is committed to a psychiatric hospital. Frans Laarmans visits the psychiatrists, insisting Boormans is not crazy and that there is a backstory behind the bid.

Laarmans visits the psychiatrists, arguing Boormans behaves rationally and that there is more to the bid than appears. He seeks to prevent a mischaracterization of Boormans’ actions. The psychiatrists listen but remain skeptical.

Following his mother's death, Laarmans is drawn into Boormans’ world as he is hired to promote the World Magazine for Finance, Trade, Industry, Art and Science. Boormans claims the magazine is widely distributed and translated, presenting it as a reputable consumer journal. He explains that the next edition will focus on the funeral and undertaking industry.

Boormans visits undertakers and negotiates a deal to feature their business in the magazine. The arrangement requires the undertaker to order a large number of copies for their own use and to receive a substantial discount on embalming services. The undertakers agree to the terms.

Mrs. Lauwereyssen, owner of an elevator company, agrees to purchase 100,000 extra copies for her own purposes in addition to the normal distribution. She hopes the magazine will boost her profile as an international entrepreneur. Her motive is tied to her looming financial troubles.

Laarmans discovers that World Magazine is a sham: there are no public subscribers, and copies exist only for the featuring company. The magazine uses fake figures and unproven competitors to inflate credibility. He realizes the publication is essentially an expensive advertising brochure.

Lauwereyssen is nearly bankrupt, relying on the magazine deal to fund an urgent leg surgery. Laarmans tries to discourage her from signing or to reduce the print run, but he cannot stop the arrangement. The situation underscores the human cost of the fraud.

Boormans concedes that Lauwereyssen can pay the invoice over 12 months. He tries to modify the contract by easing the terms after seeing the hardship. The gesture is not enough to salvage trust.

Troubled and aware of the fraud, Lauwereyssen refuses to pay the last instalment. She is unable to accept the debt and feels betrayed by the deal.

Boormans offers a 32,000-franc credit note to compensate the damages, but Lauwereyssen refuses it. Boormans then gives the money to Mr Van Kamp, another cheated customer who is also in financial trouble, who likewise refuses it.

Boormans sues Lauwereyssen to compel payment, but the judge dismisses the case for lack of evidence that she overpaid. The elevator company then slides further into bankruptcy.

At another auction, Boormans still feels the burden of his conscience as he bids 32,000 for a worthless piece of paper. Laarmans resigns from his job and opens a shop selling cheese, seeking a simpler life. He encounters Lauwereyssen again, who forgives him for signing the fraudulent deal.

The film ends with Laarmans meeting Boormans in a museum, where Boormans intends to persuade the curator to take 1.5 million copies for the next release of the World Magazine. The two men confront the implications of deception on a grand scale. The ending hints that the propaganda machine may continue beyond the tale.