Houdini and his wife Bess are walking along the Seine in Paris, when he encounters a melee between a drunkard and the police. In the ensuing confusion, Houdini is arrested and taken to the police station where he is handcuffed, manacles, shackled, straitjacketed and otherwise tied up to a chair. He escapes from all these restraints. The film, originally shot in 1901, and re-shot in 1909, is intended as a way of recording the amazing escapes of Houdini the illusionist.

Recordings of various old crafts in Auvergne such as a coppersmith, ragpicker, wagonmaker, shoemaker, cooper and a 'centennial cobbler'. Further recordings of a local cattle market and a dance called 'Bourrée'.

Lord de Vere and his nephew have the good fortune to be ‘on the spot’ when the dainty Mrs. Dupont meets with an accident. Turning a sharp bend in the road, the car overturns, and its fair occupant is thrown into a ditch. From this embarrassing dilemma she is rescued by the two. The hospitality of Castle de Vere proves much to her satisfaction, while the knowledge of the fact that Mr. Dupont has been ‘wafted hence’ causes great satisfaction to the trip. Algy and his brother Rudolph are both led to believe that they are accepted suitors. Their surprise is great, however, when their noble uncle interrupts the duel, to which this rivalry has given birth, and introduces them to their future aunt, your truly, Madame Dupont.

Henri and Pierre, railroad engineers, are both in love with Jeanne. When Pierre refuses to give her up, a fight breaks out in the engine, imperiling everyone aboard the train.

Cunegonde reads a piece about spiritism in the newspaper and wants try it. This is seen by the street kids who decide to help Cunegonde a hand. Cunegonde goes to Professor Geestkijker to learn the tricks and in the meantime the children slip into her house, where they hide everywhere. They give Cunegonde such a fright that she quickly provides the spirits with sweets.

When the husband of Cunégonde dresses up and goes out by himself, he is chased by his jealous wife. However, when he goes into a restaurant, she cannot follow him inside because of her clothes.

Julius wants to marry Nelly, but her uncle forbids that. An attempt to court her failed, but the second attempt with the help of an aircraft might work.

Paris is a city where effervescence is dangerous for city dwellers, who have become nothing more than "nervous machines". Two eminent psychiatrists, one French and one American, decided to administer a sedative to all Parisians, proceeding by arrondissement, which they injected in single, double or triple doses. Soon, the whole of Paris was injected. Calm, good humor and kindness returned, but 11 refused to be treated and remained the only Parisian not to have been treated.

The ordeal of Françoise who, deceived by her husband, sees her dying child. After a few events in the backdrop of a festival, the husband returns, she pushes him away, driving him to suicide. Another man she thinks she loves is already married.

A portmanteau film in which the producer, instead of as usual using already well known directors with a commercial draw, allowed five new young directors to each have a crack at an episode about romance.

Elio is a member of a group of youngsters, all from good families, who have fun spending their days taking on silly challenges and perpetrating illicit activities. Their actions escalate and lead them to commit a robbery. Unfortunately, the robbery ends badly and a death ensues, leaving the group implicated in a murder. The police are groping in the dark due to the complexity of the investigation. Meanwhile, Elio meets and falls in love with a nightclub stripper, Suzette. The rest of the group, after a while, think they've got away with it, but make a reckless mistake that allows the police to track them down and arrest them.

A pesky fly and the determination to get it.

Louise of Habsburg-Lorraine, young and beautiful wife of the Crown Prince of Saxony, manifests democratic sentiments that make her pleasing to the people, but not to the court. In 1902 old King George would like to have her committed to an asylum, but she escapes to Florence where she meets and loves the musician Enrico Toselli. Theirs will be a dramatic affair, with the man's death and her madness.

Massimo returns to Venice after years of fighting against the Turks. He finds his beloved Elena, who in the meantime has married the doge who is tyrannizing the city.

A drifting woman hangs out in the suburbs of Marseille. A young engineer picks her up drunk and takes her to the hospital. He does not know then that it is the Countess Armance de Lunegarde, driven from her home and performing as a gummy in third-rate music halls.

Jo Guardini, now the peaceful owner of a charming inn by the banks of the River Marne, once was a dreaded gangster. The respectful citizen does not want to have anything to do with the underworld any more. Unfortunately, two of his former accomplices kidnap a little girl and decide to hide her in his hotel. What will Jo do : side with the law in the person of inspector Loriot or have a relapse in crime?

Forced by her lover to sell her body, Renata is saved from a suicide attempt by Paolo Martelli, an engineer. She asks him to help her find a job. When Paolo's wife humiliates her, Renata gains revenge by seducing the woman's husband.

A unique black comedy consisting of three episodes on the same theme: death. In a circus, trapeze artist Wilma is going to get rid of a rival during a "magic act" performed by an amateur. A strange widow comes to inquire about the services of a new marriage agency. A peasant woman tormented by a bug in her ear barges into a healer's house.

When women start running for office, they leave their emasculated husbands to care for the babies. They turn the Chambre des Députées into a huge screaming cat fight.

Two hooligans attach lengths of sausage to a running motorcar, setting off a city-wide chase.