First movie by Jean Girault ,whose career is a spate of Frenchie comedies , which made lots of money , but which remained artistically poor throughout .The series of the Gendarmes (six movies in all) ,thanks to Louis De funès ,are palatable for people whose taste run that way.At least they have a screenplay : "les pique-assiettes "(the scroungers) is a series of desultory sketches ,each one lousier than the one before : two scroungers are in turn street vendors,crane drivers, stockbrokers ,gamblers in Monaco casinos , bell-hops in a hotel,bus drivers, you name it....Along the way ,they try to keep their protégée ,a good-looking girl ,away from dangerous acquaintances .If you can't say something more nice......