Candinho is a hillbilly who leaves the countryside, taking his donkey along, and goes to São Paulo, trying to find his mother.

In São Paulo, young Sergio works at a bank where his wealthy uncle is the president. By leveraging his uncle's name to borrow money, Sergio leads a wasteful life, frequenting nightclubs and dating Margo, a sophisticated revue starlet. When his uncle refuses to cover the loans, Sergio finds himself in a desperate situation that leads him down a dark path.

The administrator of an abandoned coffee farm and inveterate gambler saves money to buy the property, even knowing of the loving connections between his wife and the boss.

Two truck drivers work on Brazilian roads.

Sílvia Nogalis, a renowned concert pianist, prefers her career to her marriage. On the night she performs Beethoven's "Appassionata", she learns of the death of her husband, maestro Walter Hauser.

Marina, a beautiful young woman with leprous parents, marries a shipyard owner to escape an institution. She moves to a coastal village, faces gossip, and is assaulted by her husband’s partner. After her husband dies in a boat accident, a handsome sailor arrives, and Marina is blackmailed about her family’s health issues.