The petty tyrannies and misunderstandings that lead to war are the focus of this conventional, multi-national action film by Horst Haechler. Clements (Cliff Robertson) is a diver who moves to Kalymnos, an area of rumbling social unrest, with the idea of sponge diving for a living. He has enough money to buy a boat and get started but his plans are ruined when Mana (Maria Schell) steals his capital. Clements chases Mana to Kuluri where a despot named Psarathanas (Cameron Mitchell) keeps everyone under his heavy hand by means of terror and intimidation. Inevitably, Clements and Psarathanas clash while at the same time, he and Mana fall in love. As the social situation worsens, the would-be lovers plan to make their escape.