Reproduction Interdite plot
Marc Kelber is an art dealer on the brink of bankruptcy. One day he is tricked by a certain Lacroix, who sells him a forgery of a painting by Gauguin after showing him the original. A few months later, Kelber accidentally finds the thief in a villa on the outskirts of town. The con man proposes to him to team up with him and his accomplice, Watroff, a talentless painter who lives with the young Viviane. Thanks to the expert advice of Kelber - himself an expert in painting and imitating old canvases - the three men manage to set up a profitable operation. Watroff obtains a certificate of authenticity for three counterfeit copies of a true Gaugin and sets out to find wealthy potential buyers. When Kelber's wife suddenly starts to spend a lot of money again and Watroff starts chatting in the cafe more and more, Lacroix tries to convince Kelber that there is only one way out: to kill Watroff.