In 1946, Russians living abroad are invited back to the motherland and offered citizenship in the USSR. Among this group is Doctor Alexei Golovin (Menshikov), his wife, the natively French Marie (Bonnaire) and their young son. Atmosphere on the ship taking them to Russia is jovial, with drinking and singing, yet once they come ashore the Russian authorities separate them into two groups 'fit' and 'unfit'. A man is shot trying to run back to his father from who he is separated, and the Golovins begin to understand the situation they have landed in.