In 1960s Paris, Monsieur Cognac is a white male poodle who has carved out a glamorous life as a television and advertising star. The pampered dog periodically slips away from his young mistress, Mademoiselle Giselle Ponchon, Christine Kaufmann, to wander the neon-lit streets by night, always on the lookout for a spark beyond the studio lights.
At a smoky jazz bar, American Tony Curtis performs with his jazz‑inflected combo, and the crowd hums with the rhythm of the era. Monsieur Cognac slides into the scene, sampling a sip from a musician’s cup, not for the drink but for the spectacle—the chance to glimpse the pretty poodles on the program. He soon teams up with Terry Williams for a jovial pub crawl through the city; the night grows rowdier, the laughter louder, and the dog’s bravado leads to a comic misstep that leaves Cognac momentarily green with intoxication.
The morning after, Terry meets Giselle Ponchon and, in short order, the tension bursts into view as her father and the police storm Terry’s apartment to arrest him for alleged dog–napping. Papa Ponchon, Jacques Aubuchon, looms large as the protective patriarch, though the initial confrontation gives way to an improbable romance: Terry and Giselle fall in love and decide to marry, a union that fills the couple with hope but deepens the dog’s jealousy. Monsieur Cognac, ever the rival, resents the intrusion of a new companion into his carefully curated world.
On the wedding night, the plan for quiet bliss is almost derailed when Terry slips a sleeping pill into Cognac’s champagne, seeking a moment of peace. The dog, sharp as ever, detects the ruse and switches the glasses, leaving Terry the victim of his own plot and sleep enveloping the room instead of Cognac. The next day brings a private “handshake” that goes awry—Cognac’s loud squeak jolts Giselle, her father, and her uncle into rushing the room, certain that Terry has harmed the dog. Although Giselle begins to doubt Cognac’s act, everyone else remains duped, and the marriage is cast into doubt as Terry walks away in frustration.
Determined to win back the life he’s starting to envision with Giselle, Terry reunites with his circle of musician friends and learns that Monsieur Cognac is missing a Madame Cognac—the elegant female poodle who could share the spotlight with him. He plots to introduce Madam Poupée, a gorgeous white poodle who appears at the jazz bar, to Cognac on the set where Giselle is recording a TV show. Terry secretly lends Madam Poupée to the crew, aiming to stage a believable reunion on screen. When Madam Poupée’s owner arrives and accuses those present of kidnapping, the studio erupts in a flurry of chaos as the two dogs sprint and bark their way through the set.
Ultimately, love—and a little comic mayhem—wins the day. The misunderstandings dissolve, the cameras roll, and Terry and Giselle seal their reconciliation with a kiss right there, in front of the TV audience, making the moment both tender and wonderfully ludicrous.
Monsieur Cognac remains a symbol of the era’s charm—a reminder that even a pampered pet can spark a cascade of consequences that bring two people together. In the end, the Parisian night air carries the promise of easier days for all, and the couple’s renewed affection plays out beneath the glow of television lights, where a simple kiss can feel like a grand finale.
