La Tête contre les murs is based on Hervé Bazin's novel of the same name, and it was originally Jean-Pierre Mocky's idea to direct this as his first film, although it was decided than Franju would direct it, with Mocky playing the main role of François. Upper-middle-class François has no educational qualifications, has spent money recklessly and has considerable debts. To get out of the mess he steals his father's money and burns some valuable papers out of spite. His father catches him in the act and has him put in a psychiatric hospital, where he is an extremely frustrated sane person amidst the mad.
He meets Heurtevent (Charles Aznavour), who is also sane but just epileptic. Heurtevent has been imprisoned in the hospital for years and is beginning to depair that he will never leave the hospital. The two make an escape, but Heurtevant has a fit, they are caught, and in desperation Heurtevent hangs himself. Stéphanie (Anouk Aimée) is an acquaintance who comes to visit him, who knows that there is nothing wrong with him, and on his second escape he goes to her flat: unfortunately he is caught again: it seems there is no escape. It's easy to see why this story criticising institutionalisation – physical and chemical strait jackets being used as forms of control – appealed to the rebel Mocky.
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