艾伯特(Åke Grönberg 饰)的全部身家性命都赌在了自己苦心经营的马戏团上面了,尽管生意日益惨淡,但他并没有产生放弃的念头,他决定用一场盛大的演出来振奋团里的士气。带着自己的情人安妮(哈里特·安德森 Harriet Andersson 饰),艾伯特来到了一个名叫舒伯格(甘纳尔·布耶恩施特兰德 Gunnar Björnstrand 饰)的男人处,希望能够向他借一些演出用的服装。 艾伯特去看望分别已久的妻子阿格达(Annika Tretow 饰)和孩子们,并表示了想要留在家中安度晚年的愿望,没想到遭到了拒绝,不久之后,艾伯特又发现安妮和同事弗朗斯(哈塞·埃克曼 Hasse Ekman 饰)之间的私情。好在马戏团的演出获得了成功,生活即便残酷,但日子还是一天天的慢慢流走了。While traveling in caravan through the country of Sweden, one member of the decadent Alberti Circus tells the owner and ringmaster Albert Johansson a sad story about the clown Frost: seven years ago, his wife Alma was surprised by him bathing naked in a lake with a regiment. When the circus arrives in the town where Albert's wife Agda and sons live, he decides to pay a visit with his young mistress Anne to a famous local troupe to borrow some capes, hats and vests for their tonight show. They are humiliated by the director Mr. Sjuberg, but he lends the pieces, and the lead actor Frans gives an unsuccessful pass on Anne. When Albert decides to visit Agda, the jealous Anne meets Frans, who seduces her with an apparently valuable necklace, and they have a love affair. Anne finds that the necklace is actually worthless and returns to the circus. Meanwhile, Agda refuses to accept Albert back and he sees Anne leaving the theater and going to the jewelry. During the exhibition, Albert and Anne are submitted to humiliations by Frans.