The Vagabond King

In mid-15th century Paris, King Louis XI is besieged by Charles the Bold's Burgundian forces while his authority inside the city is disputed. The commoners rally around the irreverent poet Villon, who has earned their loyalty. The stage is set for political drama as war, rumor, and personal loyalties collide.

Louis, in disguise, visits a Paris tavern to see what kind of man Villon truly is. There, Villon makes clear he harbors no love for the king, testing the monarch's patience and resolve. The encounter plants seeds of the coming bargains and betrayals.

Thibault meets Rene at the tavern with a list of those in Paris ready to overthrow Louis. The fragile balance shakes when the document is dropped and retrieved by Louis, exposing the conspiracy. The stage is set for a dangerous confrontation.

Villon and Thibault duel in the tavern; their fight draws the city guard, who halt the confrontation. Louis reveals himself to the combatants, and Villon and his companions are thrown into the dungeon while Thibault escapes. The king asserts control, and the plot thickens.

In the king's garden, where trees bear the bodies of traitors, Louis proposes to spare Villon if he becomes provost marshal and helps drive Burgundy away. He sweetens the offer by naming Catherine de Vaucelles, a noblewoman Villon loves, and promising his friends' lives. Villon accepts, and is introduced to Catherine as Count François de Montcorbier from Savoy.

Rumors reach Catherine that she is to marry the Count, which confuses her at first and then infuriates her when she realizes Villon’s true identity. She berates him for a cruel joke and challenges his claim to the king's praise. The two fail to persuade each other about virtue and loyalty.

Antoine de Chabannes leads Villon toward the dungeon only to reveal that he himself is the leader of the traitors. Villon is captured, but not defeated, as the rescue plan begins to take shape thanks to allies.

Huguette warns that Jehan, a Burgundian agent, is stirring the rabble in Villon's name. Her timely warning foils the immediate trap and helps set in motion a counter-move to defend Paris. The tension between loyalty and treachery deepens.

Traitors open the city gates to Burgundy's army, only to have the gates slammed shut behind them, trapping the invaders inside. Villon leads the commoners in a bold defense against the Burgundian force. The street battle blooms into a full-scale revolution within Paris.

During the fighting, Huguette dies heroically, jumping in front of Villon to shield him from an arrow. Her sacrifice galvanizes the commoners and Villon to strike back with renewed resolve. The loss marks a turning point in the rebellion.

In the climactic combat, Villon kills the Duke of Burgundy and Thibault, crippling the Burgundian conspiracy in Paris. The populace, inspired by Villon's leadership, overpowers the invaders. The city begins to breathe again as Burgundian troops falter.

With the revolt near its end, Villon walks toward the gallows to fulfill the bargain he made. The crowd roars for mercy as the executioner awaits. The moment tests Villon's resolve and his love for Catherine.

Catherine steps forward and offers to take Villon's place on the gallows, showing a rare act of self-sacrifice. Villon is touched but torn between love and loyalty to Louis's cause. The act adds a final layer of romance to the political gambit.

Louis reveals a law that spares any man who weds a noblewoman, thus freeing Villon. He also confiscates Catherine's wealth to pay for the war, resolving the money issues that threatened the city. The crowd celebrates the apparent end of Villon's peril.

With Villon freed and Burgundy thwarted for the moment, Paris breathes again, and Louis strengthens his hold on the city. The street-level loyalty Villon commands remains a volatile political asset. The film closes on a note of precarious peace and ongoing rivalry.