he has reached bottom. In the end, he survives by help from another down-and-out called Toto, who begs money from tourists as a street entertainer. On returning to Paris, Jean-François tries to find his friend, going from hotel to hotel. At one, he is given a letter sent to Pierre by a lawyer, which says that the cousin from Karlsruhe has died in an accident and Pierre is now the sole heir to his aunt's wealth. Unable to contact Pierre, Jean-François tells the story to the press, who print the story of the tramp who has inherited a fortune. One evening, outside a café where Jean-François is sitting, Pierre starts playing his sonata on a borrowed violin. Recognising the music, Jean-François is able to give his friend the news that will change his life. Abandoning Toto, who saved his life, Pierre invites all his old friends to a celebratory party. Cast Jess Hahn : Pierre Wesselrin Michèle Girardon : Dominique Laurent Van Doude : Jean-François Santeuil Paul Bisciglia : Willy Gilbert Edard : Michel Caron Paul Crauchet : Fred Stéphane Audran : The Hotel manager Jean Le Poulain : Toto Françoise Prévost : Hélène Marie Dubois : The girl at the café Jean-Luc Godard : The melomane Jean-Pierre Melville : A costumer Alain Resnais : A costumer Macha Méril : The blond at the 14th July Production It is shot in a wider 1.66 aspect ratio, unlike the 1.37 Academy ratio of almost all Rohmer's other films, and has an intermittent musical score, which is rare in his work. Though he normally wrote his films, in this case he is only credited with the story and the often barrack-room dialogue is by Paul Gégauff. Unlike almost all his work, the plot revolves around three men, with women being relegated to supporting characters. A Nouvelle Vague characteristic was to include cameos for fellow directors and favourite actors, and consequently this film features Jean-Luc Godard, Stéphane Audran, Marie Dubois and Macha Méril. Reception and influence Though praised by other members of the Nouvelle Vague, including Jean-Luc Godard, who put it on his top ten for 1962, it was slow to reach the English-speaking world, not being screened until 1966 in the UK and 1970 in the United States. A commentator noted how "the film is littered with painful moments" and that "with its depiction of one man's long physical and spiritual decline,