Before the Allied invasion of North Africa in World War II, there was still plenty of confusion, and wartime national alliances often conflicted with personal friendships. Valentin (Michel Piccoli), a French black marketer, rescues Basil (Michael York), an English fighter pilot, off the coast of Italian-occupied Libya. The pilot is discovered by the police when Valentin leaves him with friends in order to visit with his Italian girlfriend. As a result, both Valentin and Basil are held in custody. They escape together and flee to the (neutral) Swiss Embassy, where they get help in the form of a car driven by the ambassador's wife. This French-language wartime comedy recounts their adventures on the journey out of Libya.