In Raging of the whole world are the turbulent early years of Alexander Goudveyl central. The story of Alexander's childhood is also the history of an era, the fifties and sixties, and a never solved murder case. Murder goes back to an authentic incident: in 1956, right before Christmas, a policeman was shot in broad daylight in Maassluis during a large-scale evangelistic campaign. The film also plays a failed escape attempt with a herring trawler involved in the turbulent days of May 1940.
Young Barend is worried about the safety of the sailing vessel he is on. The owner is an unscrupulous and stingy man who skimps on repairs and Barend becomes aware of this. Inevitably there is drama and tragedy. The film is set in an early 20th century Dutch fishing village with local period costume and colour.
Lovable Amsterdam street urchin, 11 year old Ciske is nevertheless much in need of love as the Dutch 1984 title suggests. He is a scamp with a heart of gold. He causes havoc in the classroom pouring ink over his teacher yet when a polio-crippled boy joins the class Ciske is one of the only children to befriend him and is bullied as a result. His mother works in a bar and Ciske helps out often late into the night - his father is at sea and his mother supplements her income with prostitution. Ciske is also a very angry young man and he smoulders with rage at life's injustices.
Patients in a psychiatric clinic are placed in a special home in the city, where they have access to the outside world. Another change to their previous situation is the fact that two female patients come to live with them.
A veterinarian lives together with his sister and her son in a small village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. He has to cope with gossip and distrust from the villagers.
