"Le Crabe Tambour" ("Drummer Crab") is the nickname for the mysterious central character, Willsdorff (Jacques Perrin), an Alsatian, whose doomed, out-of-date career is recalled through the tales of three naval officers currently serving aboard a French supply ship in the North Atlantic.

Captain, commander of the escort ship

Pierre, medical officer

Lieutenant Willsdorff, 'Le Crabe-Tambour'

Aurore, nurse in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon

The wife at the bistro of the former gendarme

Babourg, former sailor

Chief mechanic

Former gendarme, boss of the bistro

Admiral Dönitz's admirer at the bistro

Rector

Acting

Acting
November 9, 1977

Captain, commander of the escort ship

Pierre, medical officer

Lieutenant Willsdorff, 'Le Crabe-Tambour'

Aurore, nurse in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon

The wife at the bistro of the former gendarme

Babourg, former sailor

Chief mechanic

Former gendarme, boss of the bistro

Admiral Dönitz's admirer at the bistro

Rector

Acting

Acting
