Smeralda Amadier, a retired singer, lives in an isolated villa with her secretary Marcella and her lover Didier (but throws out the latter after catching him with another woman). Smeralda has huge debts and when creditors threaten her with bankruptcy she decides to sell her valuable jewels. That evening, she meets Costas, a handsome young man who seduces her. Next morning, there is no sign of him or the jewels. He was apparently a penniless gigolo, but who was his secret partner in the theft?

1942 film by Augusto Genina

The 19-year-old Elena, who is as pretty as she is bright, works as a rice girl for the landlord Guerrini. Having become aware of her name, he finds out that she is his illegitimate daughter of whom he knew nothing. He tries to secretly help Elena, who has fallen in love with the car mechanic Gianni. But that only creates mistrust. When Guerrini's worthless nephew harasses the girl, the situation is dramatically worse.