Veneto coasts, September 8th 1943. Marshal Pietro Badoglio asked the Anglo-American powers for the Armistice, after this announcement enthusiasm is quickly aroused among the soldiers. However, things appear clearly much more difficult: the Germans, once allied, have now suddenly become enemies, the king and Marshal Badoglio fled away and the troops, without specific orders, are in total chaos. The second lieutenant of the Italian royal army Alberto Innocenzi (Aberto Sordi) and his troops hear the news of the Armistice too; therefore they end up under the enemy fire of the Germans. The Lieutenant tries to persuade his troops to wait for new orders but the vast majority of them abandon him. Many desert in order to go home and many run away. Lieutenant Innocenzi, throws his uniform away and together with three soldiers of his former unit embarks in a long and dangerous journey to go home across occupied Italy.

LOCATION Some sequences of the film, namely the one about the river crossing on a ferry, were shot in the area of Polesella.