The film follows Michel (played by the legendary ), a man imprisoned for stealing from his boss to run away with his lover, Juliette. In his cramped cell, Michel escapes through a dream into a surreal village where no one has a memory.
Though it was initially a "mal aimé" (unloved) film, Carné himself considered it one of his favorites, likening it to a "frail child" who needed the most maternal love. Today, it is praised for its atmospheric forests and its lyrical, almost operatic quality—so much so that it inspired an opera by Bohuslav Martinů.
The film suggests that fantasy may be more beautiful but also more dangerous than life. Michel's final choice to "return" to the dream world reflects a tragic preference for illusion over a painful reality.