This slow-paced, routine drama is a remake of a 1933 version by director Pierre Guerlais, based on a novel by Pierre Loti. The setting is a fishing village along the coast of Iceland and the action focuses on Yan Gaos (Jean-Claude Pascal). He is part of the fishing crew under his boss Mevel (Charles Vanel), and he has a special problem. Yan is in love with the boss's daughter Gaud (Juliette Mayniel) and she reciprocates his feelings. But her father needs to be convinced that Yan would make a worthy son-in-law and the only way Yan can prove his worth is by outshining the others on their fishing expeditions. So marriage is postponed while Yan goes out to sea one more time.