Batala is shown to be a scoundrel who is hated by his workers and those he does business with. He manipulates his secretary Edith (Sylvia Bataille) to do unethical favors for him with false promises of love, and has borrowed money from old man Meunier on false promises without paying him back. The absent-minded Lange forgot to give him a registered letter he’s held for over a week from old man Meunier that warns Batala if some arrangement can’t be worked out within the week he will take him to court. Rather than face the music, Batala absconds with the company funds by train. He’s thought to be dead in the subsequent train wreck, and the unpaid workers at the magazine publishing house band together to form a co-operative to keep the publishing firm going. They strike a huge profit over those Wild West yarns and suddenly Batala turns up dressed as a priest and demanding the largest piece of the profits. The shy Lange responds out of character and acts like his alter ego Arizona Jim, and shoots the nasty man dead for everyone in the co-operative.

Renoir judiciously mixes in fantasy, politics and romantic adventure with great glee in this fable, as he delights in the choice made in the end by the bar patrons. In the skilled director’s hands, this propaganda piece rises to art.