France during World War II. Marie Latour and her two children live in Vichy that collaborates with Nazi-Germany. The father is at war and the family starves. As her last resort Marie starts to offer well-paid but illegal abortions. Her husband returns from war and doesn't find work for himself. He cannot handle the new situation of having a strong and self confident woman and beeing weak himself. He betrayes her and Marie is arrested and executed.