This film is an adaptation from the novel of the same name by Henri La Barthe (writing as 'Ashelbé'). Dédee (Simone Signoret in her breakthough role) works as a hostess (entraîneuse) at the Big Moon in Antwerp, although she is also a virtual slave to the pimp Marco (Marcel Dalio) the doorman. René (Bernard Blier) runs the Big Moon, which is not a den of prostitution but just a respectable enough establishment where the girls dance with the (often) American customers, although overnight stays are certainly not the norm.
And then along comes Francesco (Marcello Pagliero), the Italian captain of an international cargo vessel, Dédee is in love, and plans to leave with him. Marco has other ideas though, and shoots Francesco dead. René plans to shoot him, although Dédee thinks it's less traceable if they just stun him and run him over. This film comes across as in the réalisme poétique vein, if more noirish.
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