A combination of a satire on war and a comedy with war as the background. It tells of the ordinary people living on a Naples sidestreet, from 1940 to 1950 under the dominance of the Fascists, the Nazis and then the Allies occupation forces. Primary among the citizens is Gennaro Iovine (Eduard De Filippo)who has a penchant for innocently getting into trouble, and his friend Pasquale (Toto.) The latter is a rail-sweeper who becomes a professional stand-in...a corpse used to conceal contraband...serving jail time for those who don't care to spend the time to do the time...a substitute at a political rally when violence threatens the scheduled speaker
Eduardo De Filippo
as Gennaro Iovine
Delia Scala
as Maria Rosaria Iovine
Leda Gloria
as Amalia
Titina De Filippo
as Adelaide
Carlo Ninchi
as Il brigadiere di Ps
Totò
as Pasquale Miele
Dante Maggio
as Il rosticciere
Gianni Musy
as Amedeo
Laura Gore
as La moglie del ragionier Spasiani
Mario Soldati
as Il ragioner Spasiani
Giacomo Rondinella
as Il cantante di concertino
Rosita Pisano
as Assunta
