France during the First World War: in 1918 Odette learns that her husband André was killed in action. André, leutenant of a platoon, was carried to the field hospital, where he survived another eight days despite five MG-bullets in his body. In his feverish dreams he passes in review the relationship with his wife from their first eye-contact to their good-bye at the station. At this last encounter Odette had told Andre that she is expecting a baby.
While André is at the front, Odette gives birth to their son Albert, who grows up without getting to know his father. As the war goes into its forth year, Albert misses his father so much that he looks for him in his dreams.
As much as Odette wants to know the details about the death of André, who was her great love, Albert attempts to put himself into his father's position during his final hours. Where as the father tried to dream himself to his wife, the son dreams himself away to his father, experiencing his terrible painful end.