1900年在罗马，可怜的木匠弗朗西斯科在命运的扭曲下，被认为是一个正在衰败的贵族家庭的一员。弗朗西斯科认识愤世嫉俗、冷酷无情的托尔夸托·特伦齐王子，他对生活和进步感到失望，并爱上了美丽的伊莉莎公爵夫人。当特伦齐王子去世时，弗朗西斯科意识到他并没有因为遗产而白手起家，因为贵族家庭破产了；因此，他参加了利比亚战争，但很快回到意大利，对战争的暴行感到厌恶。他的梦想是成为一名歌手，所以他和伊丽莎白公爵夫人一起去了美国。
At work, Mario Millio is the only male nurse not on strike. At home, his wife is more interested in calling the hot-line of a local TV-doctor. When Mario wins 15 million Lire in the lottery, he buys himself a new car and starts to live out his dreams in secret. All goes well until a criminal steals the car and Mario is blamed for the car thief's crimes.
