Toto (Aldo Fabrizi), a Roman coachman with an old fashioned horse-drawn carriage who objects to the competition from motorised taxis, doesn't want his daughter Nannarella to go out with Roberto, a young taxi driver. But it is Roberto who helps him when he gets into trouble with a former client, Mary Dunchetti (Anna Magnani), an arrogant singer.

Based on fact, Passaporto Rosso (Red Passport) details the plight of a group of poor Italian immigrants who are hired as railroad workers in turn-of-the-century South America. In addition to facing poverty, deprivation, and prejudice, the immigrants are also bedeviled by a raging fever epidemic. Finally achieving a measure of prosperity, the Italians are forced to confront tragedy once more when their grown children march off to WWI. Though Isa Miranda is top-billed, she has very little to do in comparison with male lead Filippo Scelso. Passaporto Rosso was released in the U.S. as Destiny Unknown.

Alfredo, jailed for theft and fraud, after having served the sentence discovers that his wife Adelina no longer wishes to live with him.

Believed dead, a husband poses as his own brother, to cash in on an insurance policy.But when his former boss,a rich man, asks the so called brother for help in wooing the widow, the new fortune from the insurance loses some of its appeal.

Young Rosalia marries the painter Corrado Palmieri, but gets disowned by her family, opposed to the marriage. Then during a fight, Corrado kills his brother in law and is sentenced to a life sentence.