Bad weather, farmers who do not allow the dumping of their estate, and people who are willing to sabotage for ideological reasons, disrupt the building of hydro-power on the Neretva river. Upon completion of construction, the benefits of electricity assures people of the necessity of progress.

Slavica, Marin and a group of operants hide the newly built ship from the Italian occupation forces. They end up arrested, but the partisans rescue them and they take part in the string of actions.

Bruno, the village scribe, is married to a beautiful and devoted young woman named Stella. He makes a good living composing love letters for the uneducated villagers, many of which are addressed to his wife. Bruno’s eloquence can lift him off into rhapsodies of brilliant exaggeration.