18-year-old orphan Sylvi is unable to refuse the marriage proposal made by her guardian, Aksel. The young wife is unhappy with her elderly husband and loves her childhood friend Viktoria instead. Sylvi sinks into despair when Aksel refuses to grant her a divorce.
Senator Fredrik, who advocates a policy of appeasement, expels his nephew Robert, an activist and lover of Justiina, from his home. Decades later, the lovers meet again when Robert returns to claim his inheritance.
Mrs. Ireene Helasuo does not want to have children and refuses to do so. She argues about this with her husband and father. Director Kustaa Helasuo considers childlessness a deficiency, and Ireene's father believes that motherhood is a woman's duty, which his daughter is not fulfilling.
A former Red Rebellion leader returns home after being imprisoned for his participation in the Finnish Civil War, but soon finds out that wartime mindsets still linger in the heads of people.
The boyish, temperamental chemistry student Elsa Kassel disapproves of her mother and sisters running after men, but when she hears that she's referred to as "ugly Elsa", she takes on a transformation. The new, charming Elsa tests her attractiveness on men and causes confusion all the way to her...
The story of Pekka Aalto, who lives with his aunt and to whom district judge Anders bequeaths a large estate. No one knows who this young Pekka Aalto is, and the whole truth will not be revealed until six months later in the supplementary will. Anders' sisters do everything they can to prevent...
Due to the post-war housing shortage, Pirkko, who has nowhere to sleep, is given accommodation at the full-service guesthouse run by landlady Töttermanska. There she meets the other residents: student Eskoo, foreman Heikki, antique dealer Theodor, and businessman Roope, whose acquaintance with the...
Erkki, a journalist, suffers from epilepsy and agrees to be sterilized in order to marry his fiancée Helena. Unhappy about his infertility, Erkki begins to drink more and more, and eventually Helena returns to Helsinki to continue her studies. There she meets Associate Professor Sysikorpi, who...
The life of First Lieutenant Heikki Lilja, who is dating Colonel Taipale's daughter Tiina, is turned upside down when his company is ordered to search for the dangerous escaped convict Kahle-Kustaa. Things are complicated by Lilja's friend, the artist Paaso, and Paaso's admirer Merja Metsä,...
A little orphan boy is the focus of attention, as well as his stepmother whose special qualities engender a certain mystery around her person – and hint at magical powers.
In the remote village of Hurula, the mistress of the house has forbidden her henpecked husband from enjoying himself and playing the accordion. The ceremonious host Ernesti courts the Hurulas' daughter Pirkko to be his wife. However, she falls in love with the village's new cantor Pelle, but...
Opri is an evacuee from Karelia and is forced to move into a nursing home when his cottage is demolished. He immediately begins to take care of other elderly residents and nursing home staff, as well as their romantic concerns, as soon as he steps into his new home.
Elmeri Vara from the General Stabilization Party, Selma Vuorinen from the Free Enlightenment Party, and Irja Solanen from the Independent Women's Party are competing for seats in parliament. When young Pertti and his classmates start a campaign with caricatures against Vara and Vuorinen, whom they...
Poor service station workers Jaakko and Timo think they have won the lottery jackpot. The men are already making big plans when it turns out that the prize is actually worthless. Posing as American oil millionaires, the men get caught up in a web of deception.
In a military camp, the arrival of a group of women causes admiration and confusion. In particular, Sofia, the captain's mother-in-law, turns the lives of the general and soldier Hurska upside down.
The story of the first elections in Finland. Farmer Topi Romppainen lives a modest life with his family in Kainuu in the early 20th century. While shopping in the village, Topi hears about the upcoming parliamentary elections. His wife Riikka decides to find out more and ends up at a meeting of the...