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.
as Adolf Daens
as Charles Woeste
as Nette Scholliers
as Jan De Meeter
as Jefke
as Bisschop Stillemans
as Pieter Daens
as Louise Daens
as Schmitt
as Elizabeth Borremans
as Eugene Borremans
as Ponnet
as Marie
as Monsignor Goossens
as Burgemeester Van Wambeke
as Van Langenhove (Liberaal)
as Nuncio
as Wannes Scholliers
as Julia
as Clarice
as Nini
as Commission Member
as Commission Member
as Gendarmerie Officer
as Commission Member
as Commission Member
as Man beside Nini's Corpse
as Lisette
as Gang Member
as Gang Member
as Gang Member
as Gang Member
as Gang Member
as Woman giving out Soup
as Woman giving out Soup
as Louis Scholliers
as Baron de Bethune
as Vader Scholliers
as Moeder Nora Scholliers
as Gust
as Zulma
as Achiel Eeman
as Jules
as Journalist
as Abt
