With her fascist husband gone to witness Benito Mussolini's first meeting with Adolf Hitler, world-weary wife and mother Antonietta (Sophia Loren) seeks escape from her dreary tenement by inviting the unknown into her life. As many Romans gather to attend the rally, Antonietta befriends her despondent gay neighbor, Gabriele (Marcello Mastroianni), and the two develop a special bond that will enrich their lives.