故事发生在二十世纪的一个英国小镇里。古淳(格兰达·杰克逊 Glenda Jackson 饰)和厄苏拉(珍妮·林登 Jennie Linden 饰)是情同手足的两姐妹,姐姐古淳在学校里担任教师的职务,性格严谨而刻板,妹妹厄苏拉不久之前才回到家乡,身为自由派画家的她向往着无拘无束随心所欲的生活。 在一场婚礼中,姐妹两人结识了鲁伯特(阿兰·贝茨 Alan Bates 饰)和杰拉德(奥列佛·里德 Oliver Reed 饰)两名男子。厄休拉和鲁伯特坠入了情网,并且携手走入了婚姻的殿堂。与此同时,古淳和杰拉德之间也产生了暧昧的情愫。四人前往瑞士度假,在那里,古淳邂逅了一名风流倜傥的雕塑家,移情别恋。这让杰拉德感到无法接受。The battle of the sexes and relationships among the elite of Britain's industrial Midlands in the 1920s. Gerald Crich and Rupert Berkin are best friends who fall in love with a pair of sisters Gudrun, a sculptress and Ursula Brangwen, a schoolteacher. Rupert marries Ursula, Gerald begins a love affair with Gudrun, and the foursome embarks upon a Swiss honeymoon. But the relationships take markedly different directions, as Russell explores the nature of commitment and love. Rupert and Ursula learn to give themselves to each other; the more withdrawn Gerald cannot, finally, connect with the demanding and challenging Gudrun.