The Longing relates a tale of duty, desire, and high crime in a rural German village.

Stuck in a very unremarkable and monotonous marriage to town minister Johannes (Klaus Grunberg), housewife Lena's (Susanne-Marie Wrage) everyday life is the very essence of lifeless structure, with regular visits to her invalid sister-in-law, Martha (Heidemarie Rohweder), organ-playing duties at her husband's church, and unemotional, scheduled sexual liaisons with Johannes. When the family car breaks down, Lena soon makes the acquaintance of auto mechanic Paul (Robert Lohr) and the two nearly instantly find a mutual attraction to one another. At the same time, however, a young girl from the village is murdered and Lena learns that Paul is somehow complicit -- thus forcing the newly liberated housewife to make a decision between passion or righteousness.