In the sleepy mountain village of Pianazzo, where the major occupation appears to be smuggling, the people exist in relative peace despite their poverty. It's a "little world" presided over by a parish priest, Don Candido, and a Mayor who is also the town barber. Then a young schoolteacher, a communist, roars into town on her motorbike and shakes things up with her political talk. Gian, one of the young smugglers, is smitten with the newcomer, but he finds he must leave town on account of a conflict that has arisen between the locals and others who want to build a dyke in the area. The teacher, who returns Gian's feelings, pursues him to Milan, where they enjoy some happiness... until she unexpectedly deserts him. This time it is Gian who does the pursuing, back to Pianazzo, where he discovers that his lover is pregnant and has left him "to give him his freedom." Far from desiring such freedom, Gian is delighted with the news of the baby. But his joy will be short-lived: now that he's back in town, his friend Biondino persuades him to make another smuggling run.