Charlie Kohler, a celebrated concert pianist, gives up his fame and career after his wife’s infidelity and suicide and plays piano at a run down bistro. Lena, a sympathetic waitress, encourages him to resume his career. His kid brother, meanwhile, gets in trouble with some crooks and gets kidnapped. With no recourse left, Charlie plunges headlong into the world of the criminal underworld, fighting gangsters out to ‘Shoot the Piano Player’.

ACTORS NAME                        CHARACTERS NAME 

Charles Aznavour ..         Charlie Kohler / Edouard Saroyan

Marie Dubois    ...            Léna

Nicole Berger    ...            Thérèse Saroyan

Michèle Mercier    ...         Clarisse

Serge Davri    ...              Plyne

Claude Mansard    ...        Momo

Richard Kanayan    ...       Fido Saroyan

Albert Rémy    ...             Chico Saroyan

Jean-Jacques Aslanian      Richard Saroyan

Daniel Boulanger...           Ernest

Claude Heymann    ...       Lars Schmeel

Alex Joffé    ...                 Passerby

Boby Lapointe    ...           Le chanteur

Catherine Lutz    ...          Mammy

"..simply ahead of its time..one of the director's most enjoyable, and essential viewing for anyone who truly loves film" - Pam Grady, Reel.com

"..highly entertaining drama." - Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle

"..done with the same freewheeling, inventive quality as his 400 Blows." - Variety Magazine

"A landmark film that took the world three decades to accept" - John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews

a fascinating study of flawed humanity" Phil Freeman,culturevulture.net