In the legend of Susanna in Babylon she was highly desired by the old men. In this movie, Susanna the beautiful lives in a Swedish town in the 19th century.

An agrarian community sometime in the 1700s. The farmer Påvel is married with his young wife Märit and very proud to have married such a young and sweet girl. Märit however, is disappointed about her marriage. Their neighbor Håkan lives alone on his farm and he falls in love with Märit. He tells her of his feelings and Märit is torn between the security of her marriage and the feelings she has for Håkan.