In 1911, a young Orthodox Jew named Solomon Levinsky (Ioan Gruffudd) lives with his Yiddish-speaking family in the South Wales Valleys. Solomon peddles fabrics door to door, but hides his ethnicity due to anti-Semitism. One day, Solomon meets a demure, young gentile woman named Gaenor Rees (Nia Roberts (actress)), who he instantly falls in love with. Solomon tells Gaenor his name is Sam Livingstone and that his family is English. Solomon makes Gaenor a red dress and has her try it on. He is struck by how beautiful she looks and they share their first kiss.