It was the beginning of the talkies.For many a director,the talkies meant canning plays.This movie is a blatant example: the cast and credits are spoken,ten years before "Citizen Kane" !The actors (feat Jean Gabin) come from behind the curtains and the director (?) introduces them to the audience two by two.Mistakes and misunderstandings involving nobles (counts,barons,and the whole shebang)and proletarians (Will you be selling ice cream bars all your life?)in theaters ,chic restaurants and luxury flats.As it is also a musical,there are numerous songs which are not what you call "infectious" .Gabin sings but nothing as lovely as "Au Bord De L'Eau" in Duvivier's "La Belle Equipe"