A 40-year-old architect begins to doubt his role as a father in a world sliding into decadence. When he meets a young Polish girl he runs off with her to Rhodes. His psycho-moralistic angst is presented in a series of flashbacks when the hijack of his airplane forces him to take stock of his life.

Antwerp. Someone is making a feature film. After shooting the scenes on location, the filmmaker wanders to the railway station. He's having difficulties with his material, it's a commissioned film. The story is giving him trouble too. But he cannot abandon the project. He now wants to introduce a male character so that he can explain his problems.

The antiques shop Gerard owns should help him to get rid of his financial problems. He dreams of writing the most important Dutch novel ever. Unfortunately he spends money like water. As a result he is constantly broke. His sister Ingrid is married to Pierre. She wants a child but he refuses. While Gerard is willing to consider leading a normal life, a wish mainly expressed by his parents, Ingrid's marriage falls apart.