[2][3] Ichiro Aoye (Toshiro Mifune), an artist, meets a famous young classical singer, Miyako Saijo (Yoshiko Yamaguchi) while he is working on a painting in the mountains.

She is on foot, having missed her bus, but they discover they are staying at the same hotel, so Aoye gives Saijo a ride back to town on his motorcycle.

During the subsequent media circus, he is approached by a down-and-out lawyer, Hiruta (Takashi Shimura), whose name means 'leechfield' (蛭田) and who claims to share Aoye's anger with the press.

On the final day in court Hiruta, prodded by his conscience, confesses to taking the bribe and Amour loses the case.

"[5] The movie depicts aspects of so-called kasutori culture, a phenomenon of early postwar Japan that refers to the proliferation of sleazy magazines and cheap alcohol.