Lumière d'été (1943)

A young girl, Michèle (Madeleine Robinson), arrives by coach near the L’Ange Gardien inn in Cabrières, in the south, where two guests are staying: Léon, a poet, and Louise (Jane Marken), a woman of independent means. She is brought there by horse-drawn carriage by the local châtelain, Patrice (Paul Bernard), who is the lover of Christiane, known as Cricri (Madeleine Renaud), the proprietor of the inn. Michèle is waiting for her boyfriend, Roland (Pierre Brasseur). Another traveler arrives and goes to the wrong room: Julien (Georges Marchal), an engineer who has come to work on the dam’s construction. Michèle mistakes him for Roland and kisses him; Julien changes rooms. Roland arrives, but disappoints Michèle. Patrice invites Roland to come and paint at his castle in Cabrières, along with Michèle. Roland accepts, and Patrice courts Michèle. Patrice throws a costume ball for his birthday. Cricri tries on her marquise costume. Michèle comes to ask her for money so she can leave right away. Cricri is relieved and gives her the money. Michèle goes to say goodbye to Julien, who tries to persuade her to leave only at the end of the week, when he himself will be returning to Paris. Michèle refuses. She packs her suitcase, and Patrice tries to persuade her not to leave right away. Michèle eventually agrees to stay. At the masked ball, Cricri catches sight of Michèle. Patrice tells Cricri that he is going to marry Michèle. At the end of the ball, Michèle, now in ordinary clothes, crosses paths with Cricri, who apologizes. Patrice arrives in his car. Cricri tells Patrice that Michèle will stay at L’Ange Gardien until she leaves. Roland insists on driving Patrice’s car. Cricri, Michèle, and the two guests get in as well. The car falls into a ditch. Everyone is taken back to the dam in a mining cart. Roland dies. Patrice tries to kill Julien, but falls down the mountain and dies. Michèle and Julien, embracing and holding their suitcase, look at the mountain.