Michel, a debt-ridden artist, is interrupted several times while romancing Vanda, a woman whose portrait he is painting: by his roommate, Prosper; by his neighbor and fiancée, Beatrice; and by several of his creditors.

Armed with this information, Prosper gets Michel to agree to split the prize money if he is the one who recovers the ticket, and he begins his search.

At the junk shop that Grandpa Tulip runs as a front for his criminal activities, Michel finds out an Italian operatic tenor already came by and bought the jacket to use as part of a costume.

One of Grandpa Tulip's associates stole a pocket watch from the singer, and he shows it to Michel, in case the man's name is inside.

Disregarding his feelings of guilt, Prosper passes the time until Sopranelli's performance by visiting Vanda and seducing her with tales of his imminent fortune.

Dejected, Michel and Beatrice discover his creditors are throwing a lavish party in his apartment, to be paid for out of the lottery winnings.

"[5] Elliot Stein, writing for The Criterion Collection, called the film "a synthesis, a perfect fusion of sound, dialogue, camera placement and editing.