Matti Kassila

Ilona, a young teacher, arrives in a village in Tavastia. She and Aarne, the wealthy owner of the Niskavuori farm, who is frustrated with his marriage, fall in love. The relationship becomes a public secret. Aarne's wife Martta, who owns half of Niskavuori, wants to hold on to her husband until the last. For Loviisa, the matriarch of Niskavuori, the most important thing is the reputation and honor of the family.

In the farce, the producer has invited people to his place to plan a film celebrating the centenary of independence. They get drunk and come up with three possible films, which they also act in themselves. The topics chosen, in the spirit of Finnish nationalism, are the life of Colonel Sandels, moonshining, and the 1974 presidential election.