The Rivals

Office worker Napoleon Larsson is an unnoticed existence. One day when he arrives late for work, he gets fired, but through his wife's actions he gets alerted by the boss and advances within the company.

It's the last night of 1899. In Helsingfors they celebrate the new millennium. The students at the university are dancing and among them is Helge Ulfstjerna.

Axel wants to marry his childhood friend Anna, but her father does not approve and kicks her out and sends Axel abroad on business.

Agneta Gyllencrona is in love with Henrik Lettnoff, a refugee from the Baltic. They have to leave together when her mother, the Countess, wants to tear them apart.

When silly inventor Svensson gets mistaken for Swedish/American aviator Smith, he is accidentally enlisted in the military and drawn into unexpected romantic affairs.

The ladies man Georg is finally about to get married, but a misunderstanding lead to his new wife break up the wedding.

Kalle and his girlfriend Blenda is on his way home from Tivoli, when he says that he will be away for two years as mate on a sailing ship, but swears her eternal fidelity. During the trip takes on board Bessie that has wrecked his vessel, the Donald withstand the temptation of a beautiful woman on board while Blenda waiting at home?

Vera Nilsson is friendly with the poor neighbor boy Håkan, this is not seen kindly by Vera's father Nils.

In the late 1800's, the old Karolina Koger dictates his will: all her money shall form a family fund.

In the Swedish small town Kungshamn the journalist Fridolf Svensson writes for the local newspaper Allehanda.

Together with her friend Elsie, Ann-Mari Löfvenholm, the young heir to Björneborg, returns from studies in Stockholm to the hometown.

Teodor is afraid to tell his rich wife that he works extra nightly at the sinful hotel Babylon.

Erhard Malm is studying to become an engineer, but support himself as a tutor at Consul Frendin. The consul's daughter Ruth and Erhard get interested in each other.

In 1803 the Swedish inventor John Ericsson is born. After a military career he went to England and became one of the first builders of locomotives. Despite large debts, he invents the propeller. In 1839 he crosses the Atlantic and builds ships for the US Navy. When the US civil war breaks out, the Federation needs a ship to match the Confederate 'Merrimac' and preventing the Confederation from exporting cotton to Europe. Ericsson builds the 'Monitor', a ship the Federation needs to win the war.

"The Russian Cold" - Kalle Brodin, the leader of the Swedish communists, just released from a short prison term, don't know what to do with the directives that comes from Moscow.

Karl Alfred Karlsson goes on an adventure on the seven seas.