Italy, 1977. Professor Bruschi is a retired widower who lives according to a strict routine he set for himself. An ardent old-style communist, he has always been at odds with the unconventional lifestyle led by his son and his hippieish girlfriend Stella. When their four-year-old daughter is left in his care out of the blue after the two break up, the old professor becomes a sort of father figure to the girl, growing fond of her. However he's once again challenged when Stella also arrives for a stay in his elegant villa, reclaiming custody of her daughter.

Naples, 18th century. Salvatore "Totò" Sapore, an unemployed minstrel, always manages to cheer up the hungry with his songs about good food, always upsetting Vesuvia, a magma witch who lives inside the Vesuvius.