Character Relationship Map: Perched on a Tree

Characters

• Henri Roubier (played by Louis de Funès) — protagonist

  Central protagonist, a wealthy industrialist whose road trip goes wrong after picking up two hitchhikers. Their car crashes and gets perched on a cliffside tree. He spends the ordeal panicking, attemp...

• Mme Muller (played by Geraldine Chaplin) — protagonist

  A young hitchhiker who suffers a panic attack after the crash. She attempts to escape the vehicle, makes a makeshift rope, and gradually bonds with her fellow stranded passenger. Her husband later arr...

• L'auto-stoppeur (played by Olivier de Funès) — supporting

  A talkative hitchhiker picked up against Roubier's will. He remains stranded with the others on the tree, becomes the object of Mme Muller's affection, and his embrace with her triggers her jealous hu...

• Lucienne Roubier (played by Alice Sapritch) — supporting
• Le yachtman (played by Jean-Jacques Delbo) — supporting
• Le radio-reporter (played by Paul Préboist) — supporting
• Le Père Jean-Marie (played by Roland Armontel) — supporting
• Un homme lors de l'allocution politique (uncredited) (played by Édouard Francomme) — minor
• Récitant / Un speaker de la radio (voice) (uncredited) (played by Jean Berger) — minor
• Le speaker TV (played by Pascal Mazzotti) — minor
• Un speaker de la radio (voice) (uncredited) (played by Albert Augier) — minor
• L'adjudant-chef (played by Fernand Sardou) — minor
• Le reporter TV (played by Jean Hébey) — minor
• M. Lejeune de la société 'Lejeune et Cie' (uncredited) (played by Charles Bayard) — minor
• L'interlocuteur TV (played by Fernand Berset) — minor
• La vedette du film d'épouvante (played by Danielle Durou) — minor
• Mazzini (played by Franco Volpi) — supporting
• Le brigadier (played by Jean Panisse) — supporting
• Colonel Muller (played by Hans Meyer) — supporting

  The husband of Mme Muller. He arrives during the rescue but, driven by jealousy over his wife embracing the hitchhiker, attempts to cut the recovery rope. His negligence nearly causes the tree to coll...

• Un alpiniste (played by Daniel Bellus) — supporting

Story Analysis

A wealthy industrialist's road trip turns into an absurd survival ordeal after a crash leaves him stranded on a cliffside tree.

Plot Progression

1. The Reluctant Pickup & Crash — Industrialist Henri Roubier is forced to pick up two hitchhikers against his will. A dog on the accelerator causes him to miss a turn and crash onto a cliffside tree.
2. Isolation & Paranoia — Trapped on the tree, Roubier battles panic and exhaustion. Watching a horror film triggers intense paranoia about his hitchhiker companion being a vampire.
3. Desperate Escape Attempts — Morale plummets as rescue efforts fail. Roubier attempts a clothes rope descent and launches an SOS bottle, but both plans end in disaster.
4. Sabotage & Rival Betrayal — A rescue operation is sabotaged by a jealous husband. The car is hijacked by business rivals, leaving Roubier in utter despair on a remote island.