Ditte is born out of wedlock and lives as a young girl with her old beloved grandmother. As an illegitimate child she is teased in school and more than anything in the world she wants a father. When steady - utterly reliable - herring dealer Lars Petter shows up and tells her that he is marrying Ditte's mother, the little girl is very happy. Now Ditte must take care of three new sisters and brothers but gets nothing but complaints from her ungrateful, selfish mother. But the little girl finds consolation and support in both her sisters and brothers and Lars Petter.
In order to supplement the family income, Marius Bastrup rents his unused rooms to young women looking for a "discreet stay." The drama in the film revolves around the young women and their circumstances, especially as it relates to one girl's abortion.
The young advertising executive Hans and his young wife Grete, who is a dentist, have a considerable annual income between them – and they pay dearly for this to the tax authorities. They calculate that they can save a considerable amount of money by getting divorced. Their friend and lawyer Georg, after much hesitation, agrees to help them with the divorce. However, their "marriage" continues, but it is not long before they each discover that temptation lurks just around the corner—and it is difficult to resist...
