Brothers Giancarlo and Ernesto Barandero have crossed illegally from Italy into France. Older Giancarlo is the practical protector, while younger Ernesto is the sensitive idealist albeit with an explosive temper. They are eluding the Italian police, as Ernesto killed a man in Genoa in protecting the honor of a woman he didn't even know. The Italian police do suspect the brothers of having crossed the border. Roaming the French countryside, the brothers decide to try and get work as grape pickers during the vintage, eventually being hired by the brusque Louis Morel, along with all Louis' regular Spanish pickers, led by the fiercely loyal Eduardo Uribon. The brothers' hiring is despite it illegal to do so since they have no work cards. Louis operates the vineyard along with his wife Léone, Léone's younger sister Lucienne, a hired hand named Etienne, who has ended up being Lucienne's unofficial fiancé, and Louis' aged Uncle Ton Ton, who used to run the vineyard but has now figuratively ...