 7th September 1943. The honest and reliable carabiniere Umberto (Marcorè;) is sent to escort the flamboyant con man Raoul Nuvolini (Salemme) from Terni to Venice. Umberto s fiancée Luisa follows him against his will. Soon their train breaks and the have to find a way to carry on towards Venice. While they are ponderously traveling through Italy the new Italian government sign the armistice with the Allies: everything will change in Italy, also for our three travelers.