In the French harbor city of Le Havre, fate throws young African refugee Idrissa into the path of Marcel Marx, a well-spoken bohemian who works as a shoe-shiner. With innate optimism and the tireless support of his community, Marcel stands up to officials pursuing the boy for deportation.

A music executive stops in for a 15 minute haircut.

Musty is standing around in a state of confusion, so his fairy godfather appears to find him a job as a general factotum at an amusement gallery. Musty serves as a bootblack, a ticket-taker, a target at the shooting gallery and a rope to block off a non-working escalator.