Hedvig Jensen is a famous rope-walker and is known to her public as Elvira Madigan. She meets Lieutenant Sixten Sparre, a Swedish officer who is married and has two children. They both decide to run away, but since Sixten deserted the army, he cannot find any job and the couple encounters many hardships. While on the run, Sixten meets a friend who tries to convince him to come back to his country and family.