Meanwhile, the eldest son, Victor, a master model-maker, works to design a universal machine for constructing ship models.

The youngest son, Alexei, stands out for his complex character and is central to the film's most challenging narrative threads.

Having separated from the family to marry, Alexei faces heartbreak when his fiancée, Katya, becomes involved with a club director who abandons her after learning she is pregnant.

The family faces further trials as Victor’s wife, Lida, leaves, feeling alienated in a household where every member's life revolves around shipbuilding.

Tensions rise between Ilya and his longtime friend, foreman Basmanov, who believes their era of expertise has passed.