Sylvi's child is run over by a bus, prompting her to drink poison. She goes blind in the process, causing her husband to lust after her much younger sister. After undergoing a dangerous operation to regain her sight, she hides her repaired vision behind dark eyeglasses, so she can spy on her sister and husband as they carry on their affair.
Perky student Inkeri 'Iiri' Paappanen and businessman Taavi Takkulainen fall in love during a boat trip, but a misunderstanding at a hotel in Stockholm causes their break-up. Returning to Finland, Inkeri applies to become a governess and gets a job at Taavi's parents' family. Consul General Albert, Taavi's brother intends to take advantage of Iiri in his political endeavors.
The film revolves around Vihtori's clandestine involvement with an attractive and rather worldly young woman named Ritva, who is planning to marry boxing champion and garage owner Klasu Tullari, son of Vihtori's friend Tomi, and their interactions with daughter Vappu and her fiancé, Peter von Schaslick, a mechanic in Klasu's garage, under the nose of the threatening and suspicious Klaara, with lazy son Nisse acting as a rather sardonic Greek chorus. Teuvo Tulio's only comedy.
In 1916, Finland is still a part of Russian Empire. Eugen Schauman murders the governor of Finland, and his fellow activists take on smaller tasks in the fight for freedom.
The priest's daughter, Vappu Kankare first irritates and then admires the ambitious habitant, Jalmar "Jali" Kinnunen. After the studies, Vappu and Jali get married, but the marriage is disappointing.
