Les Aveux les plus doux (1971)

The story takes place in 1971 in a city that resembles Marseille. Two young people—Jean Dubreuil (Marc Porel) and Catherine (Caroline Cellier)—are in love and live a bohemian life in a sparsely furnished apartment. The young man steals a car with his girlfriend, but they abandon it after 300 meters because of a flat tire. While they are walking along a beach, a man playing volleyball calls out to Dubreuil and asks how he has been getting by since his recent release from prison. Dubreuil answers evasively and tells Catherine that the man is a cop. Shortly afterward, Dubreuil takes part in a burglary at a circus, but things go wrong. One of his two accomplices strikes one of the circus workers, who is later revealed to have died from the blow. Dubreuil flees and hides the stolen money. The local police, including the officer from the beach scene, Inspector Borelli (Roger Hanin), and Chief Inspector Muller (Philippe Noiret), immediately investigate and ask the circus owner to identify the burglar from the police files. He identifies one of the suspects shown to him. Soon afterward, Dubreuil is arrested by the inspectors, but his accomplice is not. The circus owner formally identifies Dubreuil. The story then focuses on the two policemen’s tactics and pressure to make Dubreuil confess and name his accomplice, even though he protests his innocence and his girlfriend stands by him. Dubreuil eventually confesses, but the policemen have abused their power and are defeated as well. The fate of the two lovers remains uncertain.