昭和初年，日本经济萎靡不振，大批劳动者失业，贫苦人家卖儿卖女，上演几多人间悲剧。远在南国的伊豆山区似乎也未曾幸免，人们出出进进，来来往往，为了生计疲于奔命。在这条总长80公里的山路上，有一个长途公交车司机格外受人欢迎。他面容俊朗，为人谦和，对在路上遇见的旅客总会恭敬地道声“谢谢”，因此他被人们称为“谢谢先生”（上原谦 饰）。这一天，谢谢先生按时发车，同车的有他所喜欢女孩，如今却要被卖到城里沦为妓女。旅途上，大事小事不断，从中也弥漫出几多愁绪与温馨……
本片根据川端康成的小说改编，是著名演员上原谦的表演处女作。

A socially committed film about the feudal state of many Japanese women in 1946. Hiroko Hosokawa, a female lawyer, defends Mrs. Asakura, who suffocated her child in her grief after her husband died penniless following an industrial accident. The prosecutor is Hiroko's sister's husband Kono, who also sent Hiroko's fiance, Yamaoka, to jail for his liberal views during the war. Yamaoka has just been freed, but is seriously ill from his time in prison.

这个故事的中心是两个村民大崎修一和他的堂兄Nishimiura Kinue在他们离开家乡前往东京大都市时的毁灭性经历。 他们彼此相爱，但Kinue有望与律师Kanda Seiji结婚。 因此，Shukichi离开东京，在那里他成为了rick Iwaki家族的儿子的导师。 伤心欲绝的Kinue也前往首都，在那里她成为酒吧女主人。