Vetró János, the lorry driver, is an alcoholic. His marriage is in pieces, his wife has a lover. Their son suffers an accident. The next day his wife moves out. In his desperation, Vetró drinks even more, and leaves his work as well.

1920 in a mining town in the country-side. The team of children led by Ferkó Boda fish guns and a flag of Red soldiers out of the local lake.

December 1956. The region by the Tisza is evacuated because of a threatening flooding. Laci, Karcsi and Péter leave their home on the lorry

Merry soldiers arrive in the sleepy Transdanubian town. The cynical woman-hunter, Ferdinándy, learns to know doctor Barlay's beautiful wife at a carnival. She lives a happy married life, and the attentions of the lieutenant are all in vain.

Following his wedding, Feri left the co-operative and is now working on the land of his father-in-law. Tóth is extremely wilful and thrifty, working from early morning to late night, pushing his family as well.

Blondie and Árpi love each other very much. She is a hairdresser, he is a confectioner. Blondie's parents are divorced and she lives with her grandmother. Árpi loves her parents, but has long been angry with her brother-in-law, whom she knows to be keeping a mistress. Pista turns the parents against Árpi, and after a quarrel, the boy decides to leave home. Then he has an even better idea: marry Blondie. She is just as much of a hebrensch, so she insists on marriage. It's summer, and the Árpi's move to their summer cottage on the top of the hill. But they are unprepared for independence, and so they have a series of conflicts. They quarrel badly, and Blondie moves back home. To Arpi's surprise, her father persuades her to make up with him. Blondie sulks at first, but her lover overcomes her resentment. They try again, together.

Csutak is just a pain in the neck, the little boy is even excluded from play by his mates. Vacation is spent lonely until one day he sneaks the woman haulier's old, shabby horse, a creature that would be better off in a slaughterhouse, out with himself. Possessing the animal is the key to the children's gang. They all try to find a place for the horse.

A crusading newspaper reporter covers the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. Initially critical of the communists, the feature later espouses the virtues of the social changes implemented since the invasion. The title refers to the period of time the reporter spent interviewing witnesses to the invasion.

The film, depicting life in the tenement houses of Angyalföld in the thirties joins the neorealist currents of Hungarian film. Ambrus Pista, the good humoured, attractive tram conductor is loved by women for his excellent job as well. With his lover, the street-walker Terus they spy upon the neighbour as he beats his wife in jealousy.

To celebrate Hitler's birthday, a soccer match is organised between the Germans and a group of Hungarian political prisoners, one of whom is a famous pre-war football star.