The second adaptation of a Fumiko Hayashi novel to be filmed by Naruse, the film continues and expands on the theme of entrapment within a family system that the director introduced in his pre-war works. Kiyoko (Takamine) grew up with three half-siblings. One of her half-sisters attempts to arrange a marriage for her, but Kiyoko suspects her intentions; meanwhile the husband of her other half-sister dies suddenly, leaving a large insurance policy to his widow. As family members move to outwit or gain advantage over each other, Kiyoko attempts to cut off ties and strike out on her own. The complex network of contradictory emotional attachments is subtly yet exactingly delineated in a family study with broad implications about postwar society.