The young architect Gunnar Bergstrand marries the Norwegian Eva, against his parents' wishes.
Ulla and Gunnar meet and fall in love in Stockholm in the late 1930s. Early in their relationship Ulla discovers that she is pregnant but she decides to get an abortion because she doesn't want to pressure Gunnar into marrying her. The outbreak of the war puts a strain on their relationship when Gunnar gets called up for military service.
The film is about a group of artists in the Klara Quarter. Ararat, a poor painter in Stockholm, one day meet his ex-fiance Elisabeth who is now a rich widow.
Two movie actors are conscripted; at the regiments spies are trying to get hold of secret documents.
A school kitchen teacher works on a farm under a fake name.
Karin Berggren is living a double life. In the daytime she is a strict teacher at a boarding school for girls. In the evenings she becomes the star singer at a popular nightclub.
A stateless lawyer comes with his son Karel and his two daughters Vanja and Sonja as refugees to Stockholm. No one gets work permit in Sweden and the family's problems grows to not just financially. The idleness and hopelessness towards the future is almost worse and that can lead into dangerous paths.
Two marines go AWOL and save a girl from drowning, they then sneak her aboard the ship.
