In this iconic French satire, Louis, a prisoner, breaks out of jail and starts a new life by securing a legitimate job, gradually climbing the corporate ladder. He eventually becomes the leader of a thriving factory and decides to update his business with technological advancements. However, when his friend Émile is released from prison years later and reconnects with Louis, their past begins to haunt them. Fearing arrest by the authorities, the pair yearn to escape the constraints of the industrial world.