Francis is a petty thief discontented with his working-class background, while Louis is a humble mechanic, almost completely honest to a fault.

However, enjoying his affluent facade, he gets so caught up in the wooing of Brigitte he frequently ignores Charles' communications, which almost leads to the robbery being cancelled until Francis assures him he can stick to the intricate plan.

Meanwhile, Louis tells Charles he will forgo his share of the money, fearing that he will be seduced by the luxuries it can buy him and that it will lead to more illegal behavior.

He penetrates the counting room, subdues the head cashier and his assistants, then lets in Charles, who puts the money in a pair of bags.

Francis retrieves the bags, but finds police are everywhere in the pool area, making it difficult to pass the money to Charles, who is waiting at a table.

Screenwriter Michel Audiard came upon the novel The Big Grab by American author Zekial Marko (using the pseudonym John Trinian) through its French publisher Série noire, and suggested adapting the film to producer Jacques Bar.

The gamble paid off well, with Jean Gabin later claiming that Delon earned ten times more money than him as a result.

Smith later released the album Any Number Can Win on Verve, which featured his recording of the movie theme with other covers and some original compositions.