通过两位女性1960年代到1970年代的生活，Varda构筑了一部女性主义的历史。故事描述了两位迥异的妇女15年的关系。她们都体会到了西蒙娜·波伏娃的那句名言：“女人并非生来就是女人，她们是后来变成女人的。aaa　　Pauline城市中的中产阶级女孩。与其家庭的传统保守大相径庭，她17岁时离家立志要做个歌手。Suzanne年纪稍大些，是个农村姑娘，她的情人自杀了。她独自带着两个私生子，第三个也快要出生了。尽管两个女性没有多少共同之处，她们却仍然相处融洽。　　后来她们被迫分开了。Suzanne去了法国南部，建立了一个家庭计划中心。Pauline则组织了一个女性的吟游乐队，以她们的歌曲促使人们觉醒。多年以后，Pauline和Suzanne在一个争取堕胎权利的集会上又相遇了。她们重新回到从前。

　　UCLAcollegestudentJonathanMoore(AnthonyEdwards)isplayingagamecalled"Gotcha"(popularonmid-1980scollegecampusesas"Assassin"or"Tag"),whereintheplayersareallassignedamock"hit"onanotherplayerbyuseofaharmlesspaintballgun.MooreandhisapartmentroommateManologoonavacationtoParis,France.AftertouringsomeofParis,inacafeMooremeetsSashaBanicek(LindaFiorentino),aCzechoslovakiangirl.Eventually,JonathanhasintercoursewithSasha,losinghisvirginityaaa　　JonathandecidestoleaveManolo(whoisheadingtoSpain)andgowithSashatoWestBerlintospendmoretimewithher.JonathanbelievesthatheisinlovewithSasha.There,JonathanandSashacontinuetohavesexandevengotoanOktoberfestbeergathering.Onenight,SashatellsJonathanthatshehastogotoEastBerlintopickupapackage.OnenightafterarrivinginEastBerlin,Sashaleavestheirhotelroomandwalkstodarkstreetcorner.There,SashameetsaGermanmanwhotellsherthelocationofthepickupofherpackage.Meanwhile,SashawasbeingmonitoredbyaSovietagent,whowassittinginacaratadistance.Duringtheday,SashatellsJonathanthatifshegiveshimacertainmessage,itmeansthathehastoleaveEastBerlinimmediately.Atacafe,SashagivesJonathanapackageandsaysthatastrudelisinside.Alittlelater,SashatellsJonathantomeetheratthebutchershopneartheirhotel.Allofasudden,aSovietagentbeginstochaseafterSasha.SashadecidestouseJonathan(whoisholdingherpackage)tounknowinglygetthepackageovertoWestBerlin.Meanwhile,SashaistakenbytheSovietagentandEastGermansecretpolice.　　JonathangoestoCheckpointCharlietocrosstheheavilyfortifiedborderintoWestBerlin.AttheEastGermancustomssearch,Jonathanisstrippedofhisclothesandgivenacavitysearch.Meanwhile,Sashaisstrippedandsearchedforpossibleespionageevidence.VladarrivesatthebordercrossingtosearchforJonathan,howeverJonathanpassesthebordersafelybeforehecanbecaptured.OnceinWestBerlin,JonathanfeelsliberatedbytheWesternizedsociety.Inthehotel,JonathanreceivesamessagefromSashatomeethimataspecifiedlocation.Jonathanfindsoutthathishotelroomwasbrokenintoandrobbedofhistraveler'schecks.SovietagentseventuallyfindJonathaninWestBerlinandchasehimthroughoutapublicpark.JonathanjumpsintoawatercanalandmanagestoescapefromtheSovietsandstumblesuponaGermanrockgroupheadedforHamburg,whoofferhimaridetotheairport.　　TherockgroupsuccessfullygetJonathantotheairport(usingfull-facemakeuptosneakhimpastacheckpoint)andJonathanfinallyarrivesinLosAngelesTomBradleyInternationalAirportandtohisapartment.Soon,VladandabandofSovietagentsarrivetooinLosAngeles.Oncehome,Jonathanstumblesuponafilmcanister,whichwasplantedbySasha.JonathanvisitshisparentsandtellsthemwhathappenedinGermanybuttheycannotbelieveawordofitandthinkJonathanisondrugs.JonathandecidestocalltheFBIthentheCentralIntelligenceAgencyforhelp.Jonathanreturnstofindhisapartmentbrokenintoandlooted.　　TheCIAofficertellsJonathantogivethemthephotofilmcanister.AttheLosAngelesheadquartersoftheCIA,JonathanspotsSashawholookslikeshewasworkingthere.JonathaneventuallymeetsupwithSasha.SashaadmitsthatsheisCherylBrewster,aCIAagent,originallyfromPittsburgh.Outofnowhere,VladandhisgangbegintochaseJonathanandCherylontheUCLAcampus.JonathaneliminatesalltheSovietswithatranquilizergunwhichhegetsfromthecampusveterinarysciencesbuilding.TheSovietsarearrested,theCIAagentsthankJonathanforhis(indirect)helpinobtainingthefilm,andSashatellshimshewantstocontinuetheirrelationship.　　Aftertheypart,Jonathantalkstoaprettystudentwhorebuffshimcoldly.Asshewalksaway,heaimsthetranquilizerpistolandshootsherintherear.