The student rowing team of the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) was defeated in the competition. The coach drops the team and leaves, taking the best rowers with him. The remaining athletes decide to assemble a new team, and the management of the institute appoints a new coach for them — a teacher of hydrodynamics.

On the outskirts of the provincial town, Yevdokim and Yevdokiya live, raising foster children. Yevdokim works at a factory, Yevdokiya is a housewife. The family seems to be safe and happy: the only trouble is that Yevdokiya cannot forget the love of her youth. This Yevdokim cannot stand and offers Yevdokiya freedom, while he will remain with the children. But all these contradictions are drowned in mutual love for children and for each other.

In 1919, on the tow boat Komsomol went to beat the whites. During the Second World War, during the heroic battle on the Volga on this boat were transporting wounded soldiers and children

Alexey and Valentina met in the tourist camp on Seliger, and after two weeks they celebrated their wedding. Returning to the family, the young couple faced the first difficulties. Both parents didn't like the willfulness of the young - and there were problems with housing. They started a constant quarrels. The young soon agreed that their wedding was premature ...

White troops are approaching the village. A small garrison of Red Army soldiers decides to evacuate civilians and a wounded soldier to safety. This important task is entrusted to the young Komsomol member Efimka. The carts leave the village and travel along forest roads, but lose their way. At night, at a rest stop, Efimka, his mother and Verka talk about the future, about a forty-story house with a tower, a star and a spotlight - let it shine!..

Czechoslovakia, May 9, 1945. The end of the war has already been announced. Nikolai Savelyev dreams of returning to his hometown and teaching children history again. Suddenly a battle begins - the SS unit is trying to break through to the west. The battery commander chickened out and fled. Savelyev takes command. He receives a serious injury that leads to blindness. He is accompanied to his hometown by nurse Svetlana. Nikolai does not immediately manage to find his place in life...