René (Gorden Kaye) the proprietor of a café in a small town in occupied France during the 1940s, is threatened with execution by officers of the German occupation forces unless he helps them to hide stolen artworks in his basement from the Gestapo. For this they are willing to overlook the British pilots hidden in the same basement. This again was a deal René struck with the Gaullist Résitance who thretened to execute him on account of collaborating with the Germans. The communist Résistance is suspicious of Réne for his close contact with the Germans and collaboration with the Gaullist Résistance. Réne successfully plays the three parties against each other in an attempt to stay alive whilst also trying to avoid any more trouble, although the whole setup gets increasingly absurd and impossible throughout the series. Réne often wishes for the war to end, only to reflect upon the fact, that this would make his family life difficult. As in such an event, he would be forced to come clear on his romantic affairs and entanglements, which are comparatively easy to keep secrets on account of the general chaos caused by the web of deceit and lies.
All characters in the programme speak English albeit with a stereotypical accent, which enables the viewer to understand everything whilst the characters act as if they don't. This is a particularly effective comic device in the series, as the audience is amused by the fact, that they know what is going on, whilst the characters misunderstand each other. For example the British Airmen upon their arrival think Réne is blackmailing them in return for giving them food and shelter, whilst Réne thinks they would think it rude of him, should he refuse to accept their watches as "gifts".