The President Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The President (1961). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Aged 73 and in ill-health, the former French prime minister, Jean Gabin as Émile Beaufort, spends his days in a country house near Evreux, dictating his memoirs to a loyal secretary. The act of writing serves as a bridge between a life lived in public urgency and a private memory that refuses to fade. As Beaufort drifts back to a pivotal moment from roughly two decades earlier, the narrative recalls the pressure cooker of currency policy: he was forced to devalue the currency, a decision he would carry with him in silence. After secretly meeting with the governor of the central bank and the minister of finance, he agrees to announce the move on a Monday. That very morning, a wave of currency speculation sweeps the markets, and Beaufort realizes that only one other person knew of the plan: Bernard Blier as Philippe Chalamont, head of his private office, whose father-in-law was a banker. The weight of that confession becomes a weapon of leverage, and Beaufort compels Chalamont to write out and sign a document he has guarded ever since.
In Beaufort’s final term, his commitment to European unity marks him as a reconciliatory figure, one who believes that a united Europe could heal the hatreds that have scarred the continent. Yet the political battlefield is tangled with rivalries, and his most persuasive opponent turns out to be Chalamont, a rising politician who argues that European integration would harm French business. Beaufort observes the clash with a wary, almost clinical eye, and his resignation from politics follows, a public withdrawal that hints at the private calculus behind leadership and legacy.
The present-day drama intensifies as Chalamont is summoned to form a government, and Beaufort awaits him in Evreux that evening. Before the visitor arrives, Beaufort retrieves the confession from its hiding place, slides it into his pocket, and nods off by the fire. He is jolted awake when his secretary appears, revealing she has been bribed to locate the incriminating document. Beaufort burns the confession without a second thought, the flames a visible symbol of his restraint and control. He waits for the confrontation, a quiet test of wills that will determine who truly governs memory and power in a country that has learned to fear both.
When Chalamont finally enters, he delivers a practiced opening—an appeal to Beaufort’s continued influence and a refreshed belief in European unity. Beaufort listens, but beneath the courteous rhetoric lies a cooler calculus: he will not allow France to be mocked by a government led by someone he deems a crook and a liar. The tension crystallizes in a defining moment of moral reckoning, as Beaufort’s threats to reveal the currency incident loom as a possible lever to shape the political landscape. The next morning brings a blunt, rectangular truth: Chalamont has declined to form a new government, leaving Beaufort’s legacy and the country’s future in a fragile limbo, where memory, power, and principle collide on the edge of public record. In the quiet aftermath, the film leaves us with a meditation on how leaders are remembered—not by the grand gestures of policy alone, but by the shadows of the choices they keep hidden and the truths they choose to reveal.
The President Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of The President (1961) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Beaufort begins dictating memoirs at his Evreux country house
Aged 73 and in frail health, former prime minister Emile Beaufort sits by the fire in his country house near Evreux, dictating his memoirs to his secretary. The scene is intimate and reflective, framing the narrative as a memory trip through a long career. He opens with the sense that the past still shapes the present.
Secret devaluation plan hatched 20 years earlier
During a secret meeting with the central bank governor and the minister of finance, Beaufort helps plan a devaluation of the currency. They agree to announce the move on a Monday to maximize confusion in the markets. Beaufort learns that only one other person knows the whole scheme, setting up a dangerous inside story.
Chalamont is the only other aware of the plan
Beaufort discovers that Philippe Chalamont, head of his private office, is the only other person who understands the plan. To secure leverage, he has Chalamont write out and sign a confession detailing the deceit. The document is then kept, hidden away for years as a looming threat.
Confession kept as insurance
Beaufort consciously stores the signed confession in a hiding place, treating it as insurance against Chalamont's ambition. The confession becomes a taboo weapon that could ruin reputations if revealed. The arrangement seeds an ongoing power struggle beneath the surface.
Beaufort's last term and EU advocacy
In his last term as prime minister, Beaufort is a passionate advocate of European unity, seeing it as a healing force for a continent scarred by war. His most persuasive opponent turns out to be Chalamont, who argues that European integration would hurt French business. The ideological clash foreshadows the bitter chess to come.
Chalamont opposition leads to Beaufort resignation
Disgusted by Chalamont's petty, sectional approach, Beaufort resigns from politics and withdraws from public life. The EU issue becomes a lost opportunity and Beaufort's dream of a united Europe seems to fade. The confession remains a silent anchor to the past.
Chalamont is asked to form a government
Chalamont is now asked to form a government, signaling his return to power in the present day. Beaufort watches from the wings, aware of the battleground that once defined their rivalry. The moment reignites old tensions as the country faces a fresh political contest.
Beaufort summons Chalamont to Evreux
Beaufort summons Chalamont to Evreux for a late-evening audience that could determine the government's direction. The invitation brings the old conflict into a new setting, with high stakes hanging in the air. The room is charged with history as the two men prepare to meet.
Beaufort retrieves and pockets the confession
Before his guest arrives, Beaufort retrieves the confession from its hiding place and slips it into his pocket. He paces by the fire, half-drowsy, as the weight of the secret presses on him. The act marks a deliberate choice to use the past as leverage.
The bribed secretary reveals herself
Beaufort wakes to discover his secretary rummaging through the room; she admits she was bribed to locate the incriminating document. The betrayal adds a new layer of danger to the encounter. He remains wary, unsure of who else might be involved.
Chalamont arrives and pitches his vision
Chalamont arrives and opens with a spiel about relying on Beaufort's advice and how he has always admired him. He claims to share Beaufort's belief in European unity and to have changed his mind for the sake of national interests. The charm does not quiet Beaufort's suspicion.
Beaufort counters with leverage
Beaufort refuses to be swayed, signaling that he will not let himself be outmaneuvered. He threatens to reveal the currency incident to the media unless Chalamont demonstrates real integrity. The tension tightens as the truth hangs in the balance.
Morning outcome: Chalamont declines to form government
By the next morning the political landscape has shifted, and the news reports that Chalamont has declined to form a new government. Beaufort's tactic succeeds in blocking his rival's bid for power, at least for now. The past and present collide in a final, quiet fallout.
The President Characters
Explore all characters from The President (1961). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Émile Beaufort (Jean Gabin)
Aged 73 and in fragile health, Beaufort is a former French prime minister who dictates his memoirs from a country house near Evreux. He is blunt, principled, and deeply wary of manipulation, prioritizing France's interests over personal gain. He guards a hidden confession about a currency devaluation scheme, and uses his influence to steer events toward a principled outcome. His passion for European unity clashes with the opportunism of rivals, and he ultimately asserts that France deserves a leader who is not a crook or a liar.
Philippe Chalamont (Bernard Blier)
Head of Beaufort's private office, Chalamont is a sharp, ambitious operator who wields influence to shape governments from behind the scenes. He argues against the European project on practical grounds and manipulates situations to his advantage, reflecting a politics of expediency. He discovers the danger of a secret that could ruin him and tries to orchestrate a clean transition, only to be confronted by Beaufort's resolve. His downfall would come from his own calculations and vulnerabilities.
Xavier Taupin (Raoul Marco)
An seasoned political insider and former adviser, Taupin operates through connections and memories of past decisions. He channels experience into guiding Beaufort, while maintaining discretion about the state’s delicate balance with finance and power. He represents the traditional political class that understands the stakes but moves behind the scenes. His loyalty is to the system as much as to individuals within it.
Odette Lauzet-Duché (Gisèle Préville)
Odette is a figure within the upper circles, wife of a senior official, and part of the social fabric surrounding the central power. She embodies the genteel yet calculating side of political society and plays an observational role in the crisis. Her presence signals the reach of power into private lives and households. She anchors the domestic sphere amid national turmoil.
Melle Millerand (Renée Faure)
Melle Millerand serves as Beaufort's secretary, a trusted administrator who keeps records and secrets. She becomes a focal point when the incriminating document is sought, and her involvement in a bribery scheme reveals the vulnerability of even loyal aides. Her actions illustrate how power can sow fear and compel complicity. Her character tests the line between duty and self-preservation.
Antoine Monteil, le ministre des Finances (Henri Crémieux)
Monteil is the pragmatic finance minister navigating the currency crisis and central-bank pressure. He embodies government stewardship while balancing political reality and economic risk. He engages with the central bank and Beaufort’s circle, aware that decisions now will have lasting repercussions. His stance embodies the tension between fiscal prudence and political necessity.
Augustin, le vieil agriculteur ami de Beaufort (Pierre Larquey)
Augustin is a steady, loyal friend of Beaufort from the countryside, a voice of enduring simplicity contrasted with political maneuvering. He represents the grounded, agrarian ties that anchor the former PM's personal ethics. His presence reminds the audience of the human cost behind political decisions. He symbolizes the old France whose memory informs Beaufort’s choices.
Dr. Fumet, le médecin personnel de Beaufort (Robert Vattier)
Dr. Fumet is Beaufort’s personal physician, a calm observer of aging and illness, who bears witness to the strain of power on the body. He provides a clinical perspective on the stress and secrecy surrounding Beaufort’s days. The doctor’s presence reinforces themes of vulnerability and trust in private spaces. He is a quiet lens into the price of leadership.
The President Settings
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Location
Evreux, France (country house nearby)
The story unfolds at a secluded country house near Evreux, a quiet rural setting that becomes the private stage for high-stakes political maneuvering. Its rooms and fireside conversations frame the tension between memory, power, and secrecy. The estate's atmosphere underscores how intimate spaces can shield national decisions from public view.
The President Themes
Discover the main themes in The President (1961). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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European Unity
Beaufort champions European unity as a balm for past hatreds, a belief that transcends national rivalry. The plot places that idealism against pragmatic political calculus, embodied by Chalamont. The tension tests whether lofty ideals can survive in the rough-and-tumble of real-world governance. The narrative uses this clash to explore if unity justifies questionable means.
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Finance & Betrayal
The currency devaluation scheme and the central-bank maneuvering reveal how financial power can steer political outcomes. The plan to devalue showcases money as a tool of influence, capable of reshaping governments. Beaufort’s secret and the ensuing intrigue expose the corrosive pull of economics on public duty. The film critiques how financial interests risk corrupting integrity.
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Power & Integrity
The narrative centers on the struggle between personal integrity and political survival. Beaufort refuses to let the confession derail France’s future, choosing exposure over concession. Chalamont’s ambition reveals the fragility of trust within a leadership transition. The film interrogates whether principled leadership can endure when confronted with a web of power.
The President Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of The President (1961). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the quiet outskirts of Evreux, a modest country house becomes the unlikely stage for a lifetime of public service. At seventy‑three, the former French president spends his days dictating memoirs to a devoted secretary, his voice echoing through rooms once filled with the immediacy of statecraft. The slow rhythm of ink and recollection creates a contrast between the bustling corridors of power he once navigated and the contemplative solitude of his present, setting a tone that feels both intimate and reverent.
The narrative reaches back across decades of triumphs and setbacks, sketching a portrait of a leader who helped shape a unified Europe while wrestling with the relentless demands of governance. As he revisits pivotal moments—policy debates, diplomatic negotiations, and the personal bonds forged in the heat of decision‑making—he does so with a measured, almost clinical eye. The film’s atmosphere is steeped in a gentle melancholy, underscored by the lingering weight of choices that continue to reverberate through the continent’s political landscape.
Against this backdrop, the arrival of a charismatic up‑and‑coming figure adds a fresh current of tension. Philippe Chalamont, a rising politician poised to inherit the mantle, represents both the promise of a new era and the complex interplay of loyalty and ambition that defines the highest echelons of power. Their interactions, marked by respect, subtle rivalry, and an unspoken awareness of history’s gaze, hint at the delicate balance between legacy and renewal. The film invites viewers to linger in the space where memory meets aspiration, offering a meditation on how leaders are ultimately remembered—not just for their public deeds, but for the quiet, often unseen, moments that shape a nation’s soul.
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