A fisherman living with his wife peacefully finds some ancient statues whilst diving, and he contacts his old partner, a small time crook in order to smuggle it. His friend visits him at home with his girlfriend and problems begin.

Giannis is a subversive young man who rebels against any social institution or authority. Unemployed by conviction, he cohabits with his German friend Ilze, who supports him, helps his arrogant uncle , a fallen aristocrat, with his drug smuggling, and becomes friends with a Pontian Turk, Mustapha. The latter has entered Greece illegally and follows Giannis to Athens, hoping to find his Greek grandmother, who is none other than Giannis' grandmother as well. Mustapha steals the hearty of Ilze, whom he entertains with tales of his exploits, but the uncle turns them over to the police, and so they are truly in a tight squeeze. They get out of doing time, despite it all, and leave for Turkey, but they stray into Albania, where they are arrested and sentenced to manual labor.