Tender Scoundrel

Tony's risky stock deal in Paris collapses, leaving him penniless and homeless. He has to scramble for shelter and a way to survive without capital. The setback forces him to seek help from someone he knows.

An old flame agrees to take Tony in, offering him a place to stay and a spark of hope in a hard luck period. This shelter gives him time to plan his next move while he regroups. It also ties him emotionally to someone who could influence his choices.

Tony teams up with his taxi-driver friend Bob to tackle his money problems by betting on horse races. They hope big bets will reverse their fortunes. The gambit sets in motion a series of risky schemes and shifting loyalties.

At the horse races, Tony meets Muriel, the mistress of Gabriel, a wealthy industrialist. Her charm pulls him into a web of romance and opportunism. The encounter foreshadows the manipulation and risk that will follow.

Muriel invites Tony on a skiing holiday in the Alps, using him as cover to meet Gabriel without arousing suspicion. The glamorous resort setting traps him in a complicated double-life. The trip deepens his entanglement with Muriel and her scheme.

Béatrice, Gabriel's wife, falls for Tony, complicating the plan and creating rivalries. The love triangle intensifies Tony's precarious position. The Alps' luxury settings amplify the tension.

The Baroness von Strasshofer invites Tony to join her aboard a yacht moored at Cannes, promising companionship on a voyage to Tahiti. She also allows Bob to join as crew, expanding their horizons and risks. The invitation signals a dangerous shift toward real riches.

Tony grows weary of the Baroness's insatiable demands and befriends Véronique, a sweet young passenger claiming she will inherit property on Tahiti. Véronique's innocence contrasts with the surrounding scheming. Their budding friendship gives Tony a glimmer of genuine purpose.

In Tahiti, the Baroness finds a younger man and casts Tony and Bob overboard, ending their high-living excursion. They are left to fend for themselves on the island paradise turned trap. The betrayal accelerates their fall back toward poverty.

A drunken beachcomber tells them there is a workable manganese deposit on a deserted atoll, planting the seed of a new opportunity. The information redirects their focus from romance to mineral riches. The encounter sparks a dangerous but hopeful chase.

Véronique explains she is going to Tahiti to claim her inheritance and reveals the name of her family property there. The revelation reframes her role from passenger to potential heiress. The trio's quest now centers on a tangible stake rather than a dream.

They sail to the isolated island, discovering a mineshaft and bringing up manganese ore. The ore tests prove valuable, validating their risky voyage. Tony negotiates and returns with the ore to Tahiti for analyses.

After strenuous bargaining, Tony sells the mineral rights to an English businessman and hands Véronique the proceeds as promised. Véronique's joy is tempered when her father is revealed to have orchestrated the whole scheme. The deal complicates family loyalties and exposes the father’s long game.

Penniless and exhausted, Tony and Bob return to France as crew. He is knocked down by the Rolls of a wealthy widow, who takes him to her luxurious apartment and seduces him, exploiting his vulnerability. The film closes with Tony running free through Paris, worn down by endless demands.