Nino Pavese
A cinematographic account of the reprisal ordered by the ruthless Austrian colonel Kappler in 1944 in Rome. In Via Rasella (Rasella Street) ten Italian civilians were sentenced to death for each German soldier killed in a partisan attempt.
Piero is the leader of a group of university students who lead a carefree life. Finding himself in trouble and in need of money, he turns to criminal means—receiving aid from Daniela, the daughter of a rigid magistrate.
Beppe Musolino is falsely accused of murder. He is tried and once found guilty is imprisoned. Unexpectedly he escape from prison and to survive he start living like an outlaw brigand. He falls in love for Mara, a village girl, and with her help he hunts down all of the witnesses who lied about him at the trial.
Italian fugitives from German war camps unite to form "Lupo", a partisan brigade which uses their knowledge of the countryside to wage their own personal war on the Germans.
The governor of Santa Genoveffa eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Viceroy and his wife and decides to stage a pirate attack.... and from then on a bad idea gets worse.
