Hungary, 1950s. József Pelikán, who works as a dam keeper on the Danube, meets by chance Zoltán Dániel, an old friend whom he saved from death years before and who is now a powerful politician.

György Bánáth landowner and Miklós Vass the teacher, on the verge of collapse, trudging all the way from Siberia where they have spent more than ten years as POWs, trying to prevent each other from falling from fatigue on the way home. Both become regular visitors to the Pálffy family and they both make amorous advances to Katinka, the beautiful daughter of the local vicar.