As Otti's dreams are shattered she descends in despair from one unhappy marriage into another until she finally realises that you cannot outrun your past.
Having grown up under the threat of Nazi occupation and coping with her mother’s measures of prudence and discipline Otti longs to escape to an easier life.
Two friends, Fredrik and Bernard are vying for her attention.
Determined to be happy Otti decides to marry the upwardly mobile and free-spirited Fredrik, ignoring last minute warnings from Bernard.
As they settle down and establish a family, difficulties soon emerge and Otti’s dreams are shattered one by one until her husband finally leaves her.
Still a lonely bachelor, now seeing his chance, Bernard throws Otti a life-raft and Otti grabs on with both hands clinging to the hope he offers of a new life for her and her children, until disaster strikes again and reveals to them all the hopeless illusion of her new love.
Rapidly sinking into despair, her children and Bernard are following down behind her, but as Otti finally crashes to the bottom it is at last revealed to her how her own hand has played a part in her sad faith.
Now she can see where she went wrong. But with a missing daughter and Bernard critically ill, is it all too late?