Art dealer Henri Landru becomes infatuated with burlesque performer, Odette, who already has a lover and is only interested in Landru for money. She tricks Landru into thinking her mother is sick and needs money for an important operation. Landru vows to raise the money to fund the operation.
Landru attempts...
Art dealer Henri Landru becomes infatuated with burlesque performer, Odette, who already has a lover and is only interested in Landru for money. She tricks Landru into thinking her mother is sick and needs money for an important operation. Landru vows to raise the money to fund the operation.
Landru attempts to find furniture that he can sell. He meets a young widow, Vivienne, who is hoping to sell some vintage furniture. He quickly charms Vivienne but when he later discovers she has sold her furniture to somebody else they quarrel, resulting in Vivienne's accidental death. Landru is able to cover up the manslaughter, but when he is able to easily claim Vivienne's furniture as his own and sell it he realises he has found an easy way to make money. Landru adopts several aliases and charms several wealthy, middle-aged women one by one, wooing them into marriage before killing them, usually by drugging them and then stabbing them.
Landru later sees Odette with her lover and realises she has been stringing him along the entire time. He lures her to his villa where he murders her.
Vivienne's sister has become suspicious over her disappearance but the police cannot help her without any evidence. She sets out to find Landru, eventually finding him at his rented villa. The police arrive and arrest Landru. The film ends with Landru's execution.
