In 1925, Nacib (Marcello Mastroianni) is the owner of a bar in a small Brazilian coastal town runs by the local colonels. He meets Gabriela (Sonia Braga) and hires her on as a cook. They soon enter a passionate relationship, fueled by his strong attraction to her sensual nature. However, he soon grows annoyed by the attention she receives. Under his best friend Tonico's (Cantafora) advice, he proposes to her, thinking it will stop the attention. After they're married, he warns her to dress and behave more modestly so they will be seen as more respectable, but she can't help but stray and he is forced to annul their marriage when he finds her in bed with none other than Tonico. Later, as both Nacib and the town begin to undergo a transformation, Nacib and Gabriela resume their relationship. The town's political ways modernize slightly and Gabriela returns as Nacib's mistress.