The rich young man Teddy Anker invests his money in the theater at the beginning of the 1920s. Whatever he does becomes a success. He falls in love with a dancer, Karin. He decides to put up a show with Karin as the leading lady, but for the first time one of his shows becomes an economic disaster.
When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.
Staffan Stolle becomes the sole heir to a rich and noble family when he is just a little boy. Early on he is engaged to be married to a girl he finds he does not love. Instead he flees the country only to return under a false name, looking for true love.
Hasse has received a scholarship from the insurance company where he works together with his friend Lennart. They both travel to Vienna so that Hasse can take a few days off, while Lennart attends lectures about insurance. While away, Lennart has rented his room to a girl, Alva. When he returns home earlier than expected, they have to share the apartment a few days...
Monika from Stockholm falls in love with Harry, a young man on holiday. When she becomes pregnant they are forced into a marriage, which begins to fall apart soon after they take up residence in a cramped little flat.
A drama about a doctor and his wife. She used to be an actress, but became a housewife when she married. When she resumes her acting career the marriage crashes.
Sailor Johannes Blom returns to his home port, after seven years at sea, to find that Sally, the girl he has been thinking of while away, is completely despondent. Seven years earlier, obstreperous Alexander Blom, brings his mistress Sally to live with him, his wife Alice, son Johannes, and crew, aboard the salvage boat he captains. Amidst all the tensions on the small boat, Johannes and Sally fall in love with each other.
Orvar is a vagabond, walking the country roads and living on sunshine and generosity. One day he decides to find work somewhere to get some money. He becomes a helping hand for seven lumberjack brothers. The big and strong brothers really enjoy themselves, joking with the small and meek Orvar. Orvar does not know that he has inherited a large fortune but the seven brothers do and they begin to treat him with the greatest courtesy. They convince him to write his last will, making them his heirs, and then begin to make plans on how to kill him.
Land owner Bill Bärnfelt sees a beautiful woman when he is out riding and immediately falls in love. But then his former fiancee turns up and makes a fuss.
City girl Emma marries the farmer Nicklas but gets involved in a love triangle with his brother Ragnar.
At a meeting at the Salvation Army a female soldier tells the story of her life.