In this inventive interpretation of Victor Hugo's oft-adapted tale, Henri Fortin (Jean-Paul Belmondo) is a man caught up in the turmoil of World War II. Charged with caring for a young Jewish girl named Elisa Ziman (Alessandra Martines), Henri later joins the French Resistance. As the story progresses, his life seems to parallel that of Hugo's hero, Jean Valjean, particularly when a police officer and former Nazi collaborator (Philippe Khorsand) sets his sights on Henri.