Ralph is an assassin and hired to kill an important witness. While he is waiting for his victim in a hotel room opposite the courthouse, he is disturbed by the helpless neighbour; the shirt seller Pignon, who is trying to commit suicide because his wife has left him in favour of her psychiatrist. In the realization that Pignon may draw undue attention, if one of the suicide attempts is successful, Ralph offers to talk him out of it. However, everything goes wrong: The wife, the lover and the police arrive unexpectedly, while mistaken identities and sedatives frustrate Ralph’s plans. This is a French comedy classic from the top drawer.
