This sparkling satire on the bourgeoisie is a masterpiece of pure visual wit and moves with a rhythm and fast-paced grace unseen in the silent cinema up to its time. It is presented in a new print, struck from the full-length negative restored by the Cin?ath?que Fran?aise in 1991, and with a marvelous new musical score composed by Raymond Alessandrini. The score is based on the actual music ("Le Quadrille des Lanciers") used by Clair during the filming of the ball sequence (hich had to be subtly re-edited for sound speed) and other tunes from 1895 which Clair had chosen for the story. The setting is 1895; on the way to a wedding, the groom's horse stops for breakfast, which consists of one straw hat belonging to a lady out for a stroll with a young officer. As the lady is married, but not to the officer, it is strongly recommended that the hapless groom produce an identical straw hat in order to allay her husband's suspicions. This he attempts while going through with the day's farcical festivities. With lavish fin-de-si?cle sets designed by Lazare Meerson, this is "one of the funniest films ever made, and one of the most elegant as well" (Pauline Kael).