40s. Gianni (Raffaele Schettino), drafted in the Russian campaign during the World War II, deserts the Italian army. Backing to Italy a family in Piadena, province of Cremona (North), gives him shelter. There, he falls in love with the beautiful and mysterious Teresa (Chiara Travisonni). In the confusing situation as a result of the 1943’s armistice, after promising to Teresa to get married, Gianni decides to come back to Frigento, Irpinia (South), his motherland. There he meets Tina (Alessandra Tavarone), his old love, meanwhile Teresa, having no more communications from Gianni, decides to go to Frigento to seek him. After her arrival, she finds Gianni and the unpleasant surprise of his betrayal. The woman, by mean of her occult knowledge, canalized her anger into three terrible curses ... Gianni and Tina get married and they have a son. They move to Buonacquisto, in Umbria, where Gianni is employed as policeman; there he meets some miners and Terni steelworkers who have marched against the collective layoffs: he slowly sympathizes with them, but the requirements of his new job, to ensure the order, put him in a serious contradiction. Therefore, Gianni seems to find his tranquility thanks to Mariella (Mara Calcagni), a passionate and emancipated woman, whom he falls in love with. His progressive adhesion to the workers' instances contrasts the practical and concrete attitude of his wife, as well as it provokes the Police headquarter reproach. A deep state of stress will lead him to stroke… ​