The Bridges of Madison County is a romantic drama about a short but powerful love story that takes place in 1965 in rural Iowa. Francesca Johnson, a lonely housewife originally from Italy, lives a quiet life on a farm with her husband and children. When her family goes away for a few days, she meets Robert Kincaid, a traveling photographer from National Geographic who is in town to photograph the area’s famous covered bridges.
What begins as a simple request for directions turns into an intense emotional connection between the two. Over the course of four days, Francesca and Robert fall deeply in love. They share a rare and passionate bond, something Francesca has never felt before in her ordinary life.
However, when the time comes to decide whether to leave her family for Robert or stay, Francesca chooses to remain with her family, putting duty and loyalty ahead of her own desires. The love between her and Robert becomes a cherished memory—a secret she keeps for the rest of her life.
The story is later discovered by her children after her death, when they read her journals and letters. Through this, they come to understand who their mother really was and the emotional sacrifice she made.