Filmatisering af Aksel Sandemoses roman om den kyniske Audun Hamre (Erik Mørk), der officielt er omrejsende tjærehandler, men i virkeligheden lever af at gøre sig gode venner med enlige kvinder for derefter at stjæle deres penge.

Audun’s son is killed in an accident while the mother is in bed with her lover. Ten years later is Audun on the road living as a salesman and on the lone women that he meet and steal money from.