The title refers to a seedy café, where the less-than-elite meet to eat, drink and palaver. Most of the characters are the sort of clichés one might find in a dive of this nature, but at least they look and talk like "real people" rather than play-actors. Everyone in "Au P'tit Zouave" is profoundly affected by the arrival of sinister stranger Deny (Francois Perrier).
Source : allmovie.com