Benoit, the head guard of Clouville Prison, prefers to be liked than feared. This basic principle transforms the jail-house into a joyful prison, where all the inmates live amicably together. Among them, various colorful characters : a farmer, a poacher, a distiller, a forger, two pickpockets, a safe-cracker, a gangster and... a good-looking guy who pleases Rosette, Benoit's daughter, well. But too much leniency takes its toll : after Vauclin, the gangster, manages to escape and a complaint is filed against "the deplorable disorder reigning in the joyful prison", Benoit is given early retirement. He will know how to take advantage of his new status live a joyful life with his wife, his daughter and André, his son in law, in fact the nice-looking young prisoner who, in the meantime, has been cleared of all charges.
Michel Simon
Benoit, chief guard
Ded Rysel
Auguste Tuboeuf, inmate farmer
Paulette Dubost
Justine Benoit
Lisette Lebon
Rosette Benoit
Michel Roux
André Chauvin
Christian Alers
Sub-prefect
Georges Baconnet
Ferdinand Bouchonnet
Francis Boyer
Henri Coutet
Gustave
Robert Dalban
Vauclin, inmate gangster
Paul Derly
Breton, safe-cracking inmate
Émile Genevois
'Petit Louis', burglar inmate
