This government commissioned film -- made on the occasion of the forty year anniversary of queen Wilhelmina's reign -- chronicles the lives of two Dutch families from 1898 to 1938 against the backdrop of the social and political events of the times. It shows the emergence of trade unions, the troubled years of the First World War, the development of aviation and Schiphol airport, the Dutch East Indies and the lives of the Dutch royal family.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Cees LaseurRolf van Meerle | Rolf van Meerle |
 Lily BouwmeesterAnnetje Maasdonk | Annetje Maasdonk |
 Matthieu van EysdenFrans Maasdonk | Frans Maasdonk |
 Ank van der MoerEline Verhulst | Eline Verhulst |
 Eduard VerkadeZijne Excellentie van Meerle | Zijne Excellentie van Meerle |
 Adolphe EngersJan de Oude | Jan de Oude |
 Paul SteenbergenWim Maasdonk | Wim Maasdonk |
 Cor Van der Lugt MelsertDick Maasdonk | Dick Maasdonk |
 Martha PosnoLottie van Meerle | Lottie van Meerle |
| MMyra WardLily Burger | Lily Burger |
 Aaf BouberJuffrouw | Juffrouw |