The captain of a ship in port has been entrusted with a secret government mission. He gives leave to the crew, but orders them to report back each morning. As the days go by, and the sailing date still remains a secret, the crew are thrown into a state of increasing uncertainty. The film concentrates on two crew members whose experiences are coloured by the omnipresent reality of the ship which is about to depart.

The film follows a prison warden (played by Charles Janssens) who is utterly miserable because his prison is empty. When Max (played by Paul Cammermans) is mistakenly arrested for murder, the warden is thrilled to finally have a "guest." A delightfully absurd situation ensues, with the warden looking after his prisoner like a doting father. In the end, Max is proven innocent and marries the warden’s daughter. Based on the play of the same title by Jos Janssen.