AllMovie

Director Leo Joannon, the man responsible for the much-maligned Laurel and Hardy swan song Atoll K (1951), demonstrates that he had some talent after all in L'Homme aux Clés d'Or (The Man With the Golden Keys). Pierre Fresnay stars as Professor Fournier, who devotes his spare time to raising money for charity. When Fournier discovers that three of his students have been stealing his charity funds, he arranges to have the culprits paroled in his custody, provided they sign a note promising that they'll be on their best behavior. The professor's good intentions pave the road to Hell when one of the delinquents, a promiscuous young girl, (Annie Girardot), accused him of rape. The rest of the film details Fournier's long, arduous struggle to regain his reputation.