Synopsis:

1832: the young Marquis Ottavio and friend Paolo start out for the beautiful South of Italy, but the noble is robbed and hurt and so they take refuge with an old prince, who is quite happy as he hopes to marry his daughter Carola to the young man. When the noble is not forced to discuss philosophy with a dishonest priest who abuses the peasant, Assuntina, he prefers to court the unhappy wife of the prince. Paolo – who has made friends with Alfonso – seeks to seduce Aspasia, sister of the prince. The signal for his appointments with Aspasia is a horse’s neigh which he fails to reproduce. The situation becomes impossible and Ottavio is forced to flee while Paolo is accused of having abused Assuntina and is killed. Alfonso is also arrested and killed. But as in all good fairytales, Ottavio once again finds his friends alive and well and they leave for Philadelphia, the city where all are free and equal.