Feckless aspiring architect Stéphane leaves his pregnant girlfriend for theater designer Sabine; Sabine in turn vainly attempts to overcome her violent obsession with an actor in her theater company. A game of emotional chutes and ladders ensues.

France, World War II. In order to somehow make ends meet, the mother of two children, Marie Latour, does underground abortions and rents a room to a familiar prostitute. She doesn't pay any attention to her husband, who returned from the war because of his injury and lives her own life. Abortions gradually begin to bring a good income, and boredom can be easily dispelled by starting a young lover.

Elisa and Eric are two teenage war orphans. They change their apartment on the outskirts of the city into a photo-studio to make a living, and they are very devoted to it. The two seem to live like heavenly beings without connecting to the outside world. Their only contact with the exterior is through Jacques, a loyal friend, but he also cuts himself out of any social life. The sister and the brother then take to get in touch with the world by Mrs Jean, a friend of their deceased mother with whom Elisa takes courses of singing. They live in harmony until a young man, whom Elisa falls for, eventually leaves with Eric for the USA and left her brokenhearted alone in France.