The story follows Anton whose top priority is to complete his training as a cavalry officer. During his training he meets and gets to know Edith, a baron's daughter who has been injured in a fatal accident.
The year is 1913 and there are rumours of war in Europe. Anton is a young man eager to cleanse the family name from the dishonour his father left behind when he abandoned them. Now he wants to prove himself by becoming a cavalry officer. During an exercise he helps an ageing baron and is invited to his residence where he meets his daughter Edith, who is living in a wheelchair as the result of a fatal accident. Anton is welcomed into the family and his presence imbues hope about the future, but the closer he gets to Edith, the greater he fears that he will disappoint or hurt her. The Kiss gains central and decisive importance in Danish master-director Bille August’s drama about a young man who becomes entangled in a web of promises, lies, and moral duties.
