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Karoly (Jerzy Trela) is a former POW who works in a slaughterhouse in this somber social drama. His wife left him during the counterrevolution of 1956, and Karoly finds comfort in the arms of fellow worker Anna (Lili Monori), but he takes up with Maria (Maria Varga) after he discovers Anna is involved with another man. Maria reveals she has been forced into a relationship with a Party official and former secret policeman. Karoly and Maria run off for a romantic few days in the country before she is captured by the goon squad. Karoly is beaten severely but vows to find his beloved Maria. He runs into continual dead ends in the search and is again savagely beaten. Maria is forced to marry the Party official and years later finds Karoly living in the gutter and unable to speak.