Alpo Vammelvuo

The self-assured manager Julius Särkelä maintains strict discipline in his office and at home, which is experienced by his daughter Saara and her suitor Martti, as well as the landlord Heroja, who is chasing his debts, and even the cat belonging to the patron Fallsten. Dr. Kosonen softens the stern leader by giving a speech at a party, which ultimately revolutionizes Särkelä's worldview.

It is the summer of 1941. An eastern-Finnish machine gun company receives an order to turn in their surplus equipment. The company is transferred to the front lines. The next morning the soldiers wake to the sound of guns – the war has begun.

Grandmother Helena Junkkeri is working on a farm that her widowed son Arttu is unable to take on. Taina Raitalo who arrives at the house as a childminder makes the grieving man smile again, and Artu's little sister Päivi in turn delights the entire Junkkeri family with her achievements.

Mauritz Grafvenhjelm, alias Moppe, an impoverished nobleman, and his friend Ville enjoy a carefree life as vagabonds in summery Porvoo until Moppe finds a large sum of money and receives a reward for it. After celebrating thoroughly at the Belvedere restaurant, he wakes up in the morning in a cell with no memory of what happened and learns that he has become engaged to the restaurant owner, Miss Svea Jonson.

Anna, the mistress of Riihala, runs the farm while her idle husband drinks and their heir, Antti, courts Elma, a maid from the neighboring farm. Anna hopes that her son will marry Elina, a girl from the Kalteva farm, but she is disappointed.

Maria Toikka is called to testify in a trial in which her husband Ville is charged. The assurances show the events that led to the trial from the previous fall, when Patron Oppman begins to approach Maria, offering her money in return for services.

Kalle, a shy and absent-minded civil servant at the comparison agency, unwittingly becomes Minister of War. He receives help in his new role from Maria, the daughter of Finance Minister Karpio. Problems in the performance of his duties lead Kalle to a court martial, and he resigns from his ministerial post to start a new life with his neighbor Leena.

Little Matti, who has been living in the countryside with his grandmother, leaves for Helsinki to search for his missing mother, Kerttu. In the city, he is helped by Taneli, a homeless alcoholic artist, and Salme, a girl who lives with her alcoholic aunt.