Desk officer for a state Gramophone Company Jakub Veselý criticizes his friend and composer Jan Benda for not writing music which is comprehensible to the workers, music which they could identify with. The clerk in charge of music broadcasts on the radio, Eva, also does not have a high opinion of him for the same reason. Benda likes the young woman but he turns down her request to change his style as well - he has no intention of writing a "song for a penny". Czechoslovak Radio announces a competition for new songs and performers. A song arrives from an unknown composer by the name of Jan Groš [Penny] which Eva likes so much that she decides to sing it herself. The work is very successful and wins the competition. It comes out on record and Jakub and Eva erroneously think that the mysterious songwriter will make himself known. After some time another song arrives at the radio, this time composed to a text by Jakub Veselý. At the Tesla club party the song is to be performed by a Youth Movement ensemble. Jakub announces that the ensemble's conductor has fallen ill and the work can only be conducted by its composer. Only now does Jan Benda, alias Jan Groš, come forward to present himself to the audience who give him a big hand.
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