A small coastal town, where almost everybody are into fishing. Niko and Mato are friends, both in loved with the same girl Visnja, in charge of the fishermen's strike against the owners of the fishing boats. After being caught, Mato betrays his friends. Thus he becomes the subject of scorn both by the entire village and Visnja, who then marries Niko.

The year is 1940, Croatian coast, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Jakov, a poor peasant from hinterland, and his daughter Mala, go to the city, trying to find a job to repay a debt...