Martin Christiaans asks his employer Joop Bubbelman for a pay raise as well as the hand of his daughters. Bubbelman's daughter Colette confesses she is in love and exaggerates by pretending to be pregnant. But Martin does not know the woman he loves, has lied that he is Bubbelman's daughter, and Joop does not realize that his daughter plans to marry his chauffeur Oscar, whom he has recently let go.

An idealistic Dutch colonial officer posted to Indonesia in the 19th century is cohvinced that he can make the kinds of changes that will actually help the local people he is in charge of, but circumstances soon make him realize just how out of touch he really is, and it doesn't take long for things to go from bad to worse.

Dutch prostitutes Greta and Nel cruise the Amsterdam red light district, seeking clients to involve in their elaborately staged fetish fantasies, be it disciplinarian headmistresses, surgeons cutting open a willing patient, or even dressing up as chickens, the duo show their expertise in role-playing again and again and again. In reality, Nel is trapped in an abusive marriage and Greta is forever in the middle of their confrontations but her life takes a positive upturn when she becomes involved with a client.