1958.  Joanie Callahan, covered in bruises, waits for her husband Michael to come home from work.  When he does, she goads him into hitting her, revealing that she gets sexual enjoyment from pain.  Michael is disturbed by this and prays for the devil to stop influencing his wife. 

 

Joanie reminisces about her early life, and how she has always been like this, but didn't realize it until she was 12 years old, when she accidentally cuts her hand on a shard of glass.  She is amazed by the way it makes her feel, and is so inspired that she uses her own blood to paint a beautiful image of a tree on the wall.  Joanie’s parents are disturbed by this, but her brother Charlie thinks the tree is pretty.  Nevertheless, Joanie’s parents have the town priest speak to her. 

 

Joanie and her family go to the town fair, where she sees a younger Michael boxing in a match.  She sees the way he gets hit and grows stronger, and she is awestruck by him.  She vows that she’s going to marry him one day.  When Joanie’s family returns home, they find out that Charlie stole a small toy from the fair.  Joanie’s father is going to beat Charlie to teach him a lesson, but Joanie lies and says it was her toy.  Joanie’s father beats her instead, and she gets a rush of joy from the pain. 

 

The next day, Joanie goes and finds Michael.  They speak for the first time, and she realizes he is a bit dim-witted.  When she returns home, her father is drunk and throwing things everywhere.  He found out that Joanie lied about stealing the toy; he knows she wanted to feel the pain.  Blind with rage, he has Joanie sent to a psychiatric institute to “heal.” 

 

At the institute, Joanie begins a long correspondence with Michael.  Her letters are verbose and detailed; his are simple and short.  Joanie’s therapies include art therapy and group talks, as well as violent therapies like electroshock and water therapy.  Joanie holds onto an image of Michael and boxing in order to keep her sanity.   

 

Joanie gets out of the hospital when she turns 17, and has Michael pick her up.  She seduces him in the car.  They drive to Joanie’s home, where her parents inform her that she’s no longer welcome.  Joanie’s mother says she prayed and prayed for her recovery, but Joanie made a fool of her by faking it.  Joanie wants to see Charlie, but her mother won’t let her.  Joanie goes to Michael’s house, where, a few days later, she realizes she’s pregnant.  She and Michael get married, and Joanie tries explaining to Michael the exact nature of her masochism.  Michael is very disturbed by this -- and wants no part of it.   

 

Joanie tries to find ways to be happy, including joining a boxing gym and attending an S&M orgy with a friend from the psychiatric institute.  But none of those things excite her the way that being with Michael does.  She goads him into a fight, and Michael finally feels the same masochistic joy that she does.  Michael gives a big speech about how he’s been repressing himself, but he cannot do that any longer.  They make love and fight all night -- rolling their naked bodies in paint.  The image they paint on a massive canvas on the floor is the same image Joanie painted in blood as a child when she was 12. 

 

Joanie and Michael’s happy life of masochism is bittersweet, as their lifestyle has pushed away all their family members.  But, it’s the best they could do.