An ex-con with ulterior motives convinces the struggling inheritor of a sawmill to use convicts as affordable lumberjacks.
Hector Valentin (Bourvil) returns to France from Canada when he inherits a small sawmill. He has difficulties restarting the run-down operation which has inefficient workers and is hampered by the dirty tactics of its bigger, wealthier neighbor. Laurent (Lino Ventura) is an ex-con who is seeking revenge on the man who ratted him out, and is himself finishing a prison sentence. He talks Hector into participating in a work program for paroled felons, and arranges for his target to be in the group of convicts sent to work at the sawmill. He hopes that the facility's isolation will provide him with an opportunity for murder. However the man's parole is delayed and he doesn't show up with the rest of the workers. If Laurent wants to be able to wait for the opportunity to carry out his revenge, he has to save the sawmill with the help of the new lumberjacks.
