Question: Build a movie plot around this: How does Jo know O'Brien? from his bootlegging days
Answer:
1950, in the very isolated town of Las Piedras, in Southern Mexico. Surrounded by the desert, the town is very poor, and also very quiet in the very hot midday sun. Located in the only street of the town, the bar "Corsario" is the meeting place for all the European who, for various reasons, found their way here and can't get away from the town. Seated on chairs, but not drinking because they have no money, Frenchmen Mario (Yves Montand), German Smerloff (Jo Dest), American Dick and Italian Bernardo (Luis de Lima) are looking at the very few people walking in the street. The owner of the "Corsario", Hernandez (Dario Moreno), eventually kicks them out of his bar.Mario is mildly in love with Linda (Vera Clouzot), the waitress of the bar, who is also having sex with Hernandez. Another european, Bimba (Peter van Eyck), a Dutchman, is doing some menial work for Hernandez, like collecting the mail from the daily plane, the only link of Las Piedras with the outside world. Bernardo sneaks into Bimba's van, because he is always trying to find a pilot who would take him to the USA, a country for which he is holding a valid visa.A very elegant Frenchman, Jo (Charles Vanel) is among the passengers leaving the plane. Actually he is another european running away from something. He discreetly gives a few dollars to the immigration officer, who lets him walk out of the airport without a visa. He takes a taxi to the town, where he meets Mario. The two exiled compatriots immediately make friends with each other. We learn that Jo is from Paris, and Mario from Corsica. Jo explains to Mario that he gave his last dollars to the immigration officer, and Mario takes him to the "Corsario", where Hernandez, because of Jo's elegant outfit, thinks he is rich and pays for his taxi. Jo discreetly explains to Mario that he had to leave Paris very quickly, and didn't even had time to pack a suitcase.Mario leaves Jo in the "Corsario" to go to the small apartment he shares with Luigi (Folco Lulli), and eat the lunch Luigi has been fixing for...