A film about the struggle of Baltic Fleet sailors for revolutionary Petrograd in the autumn of 1917. The film focuses on the fates of a sailor and a naval officer who join the ranks of those fighting for the revolution.

The dream of Paul Dombey, the wealthy owner of the shipping company, is to have a son to continue his business. Tragically, Dombey's wife dies shortly after giving birth to their son.

The story takes place in the autumn of 1941. On a train slowly heading east, evacuated families of workers and employees from one of Moscow's factories are traveling. Gradually, fear and alienation give way to the warmth of human involvement and solidarity...

The plot is based on the construction of a highway bridge across the Volga River in Saratov. A Moscow correspondent comes to this construction site.