Construction worker Urho Suomalainen, his factory-worker wife Sirkka, and their two school-age children dream about getting away from their cramped rental apartment and moving to a house of their own. Urho decides to build one from scratch, starting from hauling trees from the forest to the sawmill. As the building progresses, a serious fault is discovered in its foundations. The family also has problems with their mortgage. Urho develops pneumonia and passes away before he sees his house completed. At his grave, a fellow worker gives a powerful speech praising socialism.

A young boy finds a magic talking shoe that can change his voice to that of an adult.