In 1850, on the isolated French island of Saint-Pierre, a murder shocks the natives. Two fishermen are arrested. One of them, Louis Ollivier, dies in custody. The other, Neel Auguste, is sentenced to death by the guillotine. The island is so small that it has neither a guillotine nor an executioner. While those are sent for Auguste is placed under the supervision of an army Captain.

In 1838, Francois-Xavier Bouchard (Francis Reddy) fights beside his Quebec countrymen and the English minority.

Large women with a zest for life gather weekly at a Montreal doctor's office to receive diet injections.

A handyman with marital problems meets a housewife with the same.