The mental illness affecting young Dario, one of the two sons of the Dominici family living in a low-income area of Rome, turns their lives upside down. Tilde, the mother, devotes herself entirely to caring for Dario, neglecting her husband Pietro and their other son Gabriele. During a severe crisis, Dario is readmitted to the asylum, and Tilde insists on using all their money to bribe the nurses for better treatment.
Pietro, a tailor, can't oppose his wife's obsession but manages to find Gabriele a job in a construction company to distance him from the family's distress. Gabriele falls for Marcella, a colleague, who ultimately chooses their wealthy boss over him.
In a final attempt to cure Dario, Tilde takes him to Vienna for treatment. However, Dario's condition worsens, and he threatens his mother before being readmitted to the asylum. Tilde dies of a heart attack, leaving Pietro to care for Dario alone, but he finds solace in successfully separating Gabriele from the family turmoil.
