Miranda, an attractive and helpful young woman, runs an inn. While waiting for the return of her husband Gino, who was missing in the war, Miranda indulges in numerous sentimental diversions: she has a steady lover, Berto, a truck driver with whom she has frequent arguments, however; an elderly lover, Carlo, a former fascist who gives her expensive gifts; a passing lover, a young American, Norman, a technician at the methane pipeline, for whom she seems to lose her head; and finally there is Toni, the inn waiter, who is obviously in love with her.