A poetic documentary observation of everyday life in a Latvian fishing village, where centuries-old traditions and wind-hardened men and women live alongside the optimism of new construction and the smiling faces of the new generation.
Riga, 1930. Educated unemployed Olgerts, who knows English, French and Latin, works different types of casual jobs. Together with his friend, tramp Fridis, they sometimes work for small entrepreneurs the Kalnkajas family. Mr.Kalnkaja dreams of becoming member of parliament. Olgerts feel responsible for the fate of Emma, who has just come out of prison. He helps to get her a maid's position in the Kalnkaja household.
A police is trying to fight the criminal organization responsible for the illegal export of arts abroad. He pretends to be a criminal to enter and destroy their gang.
Doctor Rudolfs spends time at his country cottage, and there he meets teacher Laura - a mother of two children whose husband is in prison. Rudolfs rescues Laura's daughter, Zaiga, who is sick, befriends her son, Maris, and falls in love with Laura, but she desperately struggles with her feelings of responsibility towards her family.
A group of men go under-ice fishing, but find themselves trapped on a piece of ice, that has broken off. As they are drifting through the sea, the tension between them rises.
Arvīds Lasmanis can't hold any job for long because he is not ready to tolerate deceit and slapdash work. He still has to feed his family, buy chance he finds a well-paid job as a gravedigger. A friend helps Arvīds to find a place in a construction team, but other workers don't approve of Arvīds' high principles. His wife accuses him of not knowing how to make money, the family lives crammed in one room of a shared flat. The Soviet absurd comedy tells a story about a man who, while at odds with the system, won't lose his conscience and his true self, even if it means saying no to wealth and comfort.
A miller's son, Johannes, falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy landowner, Victoria. The novel follows them through adolescence, as Johannes struggles with the social hierarchy and becomes a successful author, and Victoria is forced into marrying Otto, a lieutenant, to save the troubled family economy.
The 30-year war still goes on. Riga headmasters have decided to submit themselves to mercy of Polish-Lithuanian Duke. Rigas' defenders disagree strongly and steal the ceremonial Key of Riga. Will they succeed in their fight against all odds? Will three Latvian musketeers have their happily ever after?