The movie - de Oliveira's first feature film - unfolds in old Porto, by the banks of the Douro river, where a small gang of youngsters decides to take in a new member, Carlitos who, despite being shy, has earned his membership after stealing a doll from a local shop. Carlitos finds himself falling passionately for beautiful Terezinha and having to come head to head with Eduardo, the gang leader and Terezinha's other admirer.