The Les Tournesols retirement home is one of the most renowned in Soviet Russia. Those who seek refuge here need not fear being disturbed: intruders are turned away. No exceptions are made, Zaïtsev knows this all too well.

An employee in the Supply Service, he needs Comrade Mioussov’s signature to obtain the paint required before the depot closes for general renovations. But it’s Sunday, and Comrade Mioussov is resting. Choura, the receptionist, won’t budge, and entry as an ordinary client is impossible: without the proper documents and a reputation, the door remains firmly closed.

Zaïtsev decides to employ a ruse to enter this fortress and secure the precious signature: he pretends to be the husband of a popular actress. Meanwhile, Mioussov’s rest is disturbed by Madame Doudkina, a regular guest like him, who has hinted to her husband that she is meeting her lover here, and that lover might just be Mioussov. Who knows if her husband will show up to confront the high-ranking official cuckolding him?

As Mioussov trembles for his safety and Zaïtsev demands his signature at the top of his lungs, the actress whom Zaïtsev claims as his wife arrives at Les Tournesols to meet her real husband. This absurd situation sparks a series of misunderstandings, where the comedy reaches its peak and bureaucracy is mercilessly lampooned.