本片描述嗜赌成性且好与人争的人力车夫松五郎的一生。松五郎与陆军大尉一家熟识,不料大尉却突然去世,于是松五郎负起代大尉照顾孤儿寡妇的责任,直到大尉的儿子长大成人。本片原由伊丹万作(伊丹十三之父)执导,根据岩下俊作的《富岛松五郎传》改编,后因伊丹卧病,改由稻垣浩拍摄完成。Matsugoro is a poor rickshaw driver whose animated spirit and optimistic demeanor make him a favorite of the town. Matsu helps an injured boy, Toshio, and is hired by the boy's parents, Kotaro and Yoshioko, to transport the boy to and from doctor appointments. Matsu comes to love the boy and his parents. When Toshio's father dies, Matsu becomes a surrogate father, helping to raise the boy and secretly falling in love with Toshio's mother Yoshioko. But Matsu knows there is a great gulf between their classes and there seems no hope that Matsu can ever be more than the rickshaw man to the mother and son.