Marcello is a dwarf who is kept hidden by his family and falls in love with a prostitute from the local brothel. The prostitute's lover plots to kill the dwarf but she helps him to escape, though at a cost to her own well-being.

Angela, a young woman, lives in a small village in Southern Italy during the tumultuous period of the Second World War. Angela, motherless and raised under the strict tutelage of her father, dreams of a different and free life. One day, Mario, a wounded deserter soldier on the run, enters her life. Angela, moved by compassion and attraction, decides to hide him in the attic of her house. As conflict rages around them, the two develop an intense and secret relationship, punctuated by moments of passion and tension. However, the danger of being discovered looms constantly, especially when Angela's father begins to suspect something. In this climate of fear and desire, Angela and Mario find themselves dealing with the reality of war and their hopes for a future together. The story culminates in an act of courage and sacrifice, when Angela must make a painful decision that will forever shape her fate, proving that love, even in the darkest times, can be a powerful and devastating force.