『眠る虫』は「幽霊の声」を探す物語です。主人公・芹佳那子はバンド練習に向かう満員のバスの中で、魅力的なメロディーと出会う。その歌を歌っていたのは優先席に座っていた見知らぬ老婆。彼女は膝に小さな木箱を抱えていた。佳那子はバンドメンバーの美那に「ごめん今日行けない」と伝え、降りるべき駅で降りずにバスに乗り続けることにするが…

Robert Altman offers his unique take on the institution of marriage with this raucous comedy about a wedding reception that quickly turns chaotic. When the Corellis and Brenners--two completely opposite families--convene to watch their children tie the knot, everything seems too good to be true. But when the Brenner family matriarch dies before the reception has even begun, the boozing Dr. Jules Meecham (Howard Duff) decides that they better wait to break the news to friends and family, and as everyone continues to celebrate, it becomes evident that things aren't what they appear to be on the surface. Affairs are initiated and alcohol is ingested, leading up to a thunderstorm--and the most shocking secret of all. Altman assembles a who's who of American comediennes with this star-studded farce in which he compassionately mocks marriage and family life.

布尔固德（高远）在敖包会摔跤比赛中胜出，获称号“金鹰”。巴音旗王爷（姜明）大怒要捉拿他，布尔固德隐姓埋名，出走阿公旗。布尔固德与少女珊丹（朱虹）恋爱，查干呼（张静）嫉妒。布尔固德身份败露，被抓回，寡妇都桂玛（陈娟娟）帮他逃走。珊丹被巴音小王爷（曹炎）抢走。布尔固德和查干呼去营救，被发现，就率众人攻入，一场激战，王爷被杀，三人从此流浪草原。

1957年，法国女演员（埃曼纽尔•莉娃）来到日本广岛拍摄一部宣传和平的电影时，邂逅当地的建筑工程师（冈田英次），两人在短暂时间内忘记各自的有夫之妇、有妇之夫身份，产生忘我恋情。然而因为广岛这块土地的特殊性，两人在激情相拥时，女演员脑海中总会闪现若干有关战争的残酷画面，建筑工程师也常令她回忆起她在战时于法国小城内韦尔与一名德国占领军的爱情。电影拍摄结束后，被纠缠的女演员感觉自己唯一能做的，是在有限的时间里，更加投入地把身体交于建筑工程师。