Blood to the Head

Francois Cardinaud is a successful shipowner in the coastal town of La Rochelle in western France. His wife Marthe comes from a modest background and is therefore not fully accepted by the bourgeoisie in her new surroundings. She is also bored with her life as a housewife and with her husband, whom she rarely sees. One day, she disappears after Sunday mass, and Francois sets out to find her. However, as a well-known figure in the town, he encounters a great deal of resentment and rejection. When the whole town learns that Marthe has eloped with Mimile, her childhood sweetheart who recently arrived by ship, the situation becomes even more complicated. Will Francois be able to win his wife back, or will the marriage fail due to social differences?