The story of an honest miner who confesses to cheating on his wife, after which he remains perfectly clean working in the mine. Because of this, his whole life goes downhill.

This love story is worthy of romantic Paris with its river Seine. But it unfolds in the Russian countryside, among birch groves and endless fields of freshly mown hay. Only Kolya Evlashkin is released from places not so remote and – here you are, he gets to the police again: he just helps to bring a bag to citizen Lemesheva, and he is accused of theft. Nadia can see for herself that this man doesn't look like a thief at all. She withdraws her statement from the police and even lends money to a new acquaintance. Kolya arrives in the village where Nadia lives.

The final part of Mikhalkov's trilogy about Divisional Commander Kotov finds him returning home during World War II having been betrayed, narrowly escaped execution for treason and nearly reduced to dust in a prison camp. Only to discover that everything has changed and he will have to fight again for his name, for his honor, and for his love.