In the 1890s, Father Adolf Daens goes to Aalst, a textile town where child labor is rife, pay and working conditions are horrible, the poor have no vote, and the Catholic church backs the petite bourgeoisie in oppressing workers. He writes a few columns for the Catholic paper, and soon workers are listening and the powerful are in an uproar. He's expelled from the Catholic party, so he starts the Christian Democrats and is elected to Parliament. After Rome disciplines him, he must choose between two callings, as priest and as champion of workers. In subplots, a courageous young woman falls in love with a socialist and survives a shop foreman's rape; children die; prelates play billiards.
Jan Decleir
as Adolf Daens
Gérard Desarthe
as Charles Woeste
Antje De Boeck
as Nette Scholliers
Michaël Pas
as Jan De Meeter
Karel Baetens
as Jefke
Julien Schoenaerts
as Bisschop Stillemans
Wim Meuwissen
as Pieter Daens
Brit Alen
as Louise Daens
Johan Leysen
as Schmitt
Linda van Dyck
as Elizabeth Borremans
Idwig Stephane
as Eugene Borremans
Jappe Claes
as Ponnet
