A wartime romance tested by political upheaval, family conflict, and the harsh realities of conscription.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
Summer Illusions
Carlo relaxes in Riccione, meets widow Roberta, and they begin a secret romance despite his existing girlfriend. Their connection deepens through shared moments and a trip to San Marino.
Key Events
Summer Relaxation Begins — Carlo spends his summer relaxing with friends at his father's empty villa. Characters: Carlo CaremoliLocation: Riccione Villa
Air Raid Panic — A German plane flies low, causing panic. Carlo comforts a frightened girl. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Riccione Beach
Mother Reclaims Daughter — The girl is reclaimed by her mother Roberta, a naval officer's widow. Characters: Roberta ParmesanLocation: Riccione Beach
Mutual Attraction — Carlo and Roberta feel an immediate romantic attraction to each other. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Riccione Beach
San Marino Trip — Carlo takes Roberta on a trip to neutral San Marino despite having a girlfriend. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: San Marino
Blackout and Betrayal
Maddalena joins the group, an air raid forces them to the villa, and a passionate kiss in the garden is discovered by Rossana. The summer's carefree atmosphere fractures.
Key Events
San Marino Trip — Carlo takes Roberta on a trip to neutral San Marino despite having a girlfriend. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: San Marino
Maternal Warning — Roberta's mother warns her to avoid Carlo due to his fascist family background. Characters: Roberta ParmesanLocation: Roberta's Home
Refugee Arrival — Maddalena arrives as a refugee and joins Carlo's group at Roberta's request. Characters: Maddalena, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Riccione
Circus Air Raid — A circus performance is interrupted by an air raid, forcing everyone to flee. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta Parmesan, MaddalenaLocation: Circus
Villa Blackout Dance — Couples dance in the blackout to the music of Temptation. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Carlo's Villa
Garden Kiss Caught — Roberta and Carlo kiss in the garden, but are caught by Carlo's girlfriend Rossana. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Villa Garden
Political Upheaval
The fascist regime collapses, Carlo's father flees, and the villa becomes a refugee center. Roberta defends her affair against family disapproval while Maddalena departs.
Key Events
Garden Kiss Caught — Roberta and Carlo kiss in the garden, but are caught by Carlo's girlfriend Rossana. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Villa Garden
Fascist Regime Falls — Jubilant citizens sack the fascist party headquarters and topple Mussolini's bust. Location: Party Headquarters
Father Fleeing — Carlo's father flees as the villa is requisitioned for refugees. Location: Carlo's Villa
Beach Intimacy — Carlo and Roberta spend the night making love on the deserted beach. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Deserted Beach
Family Disapproval — Maddalena and Roberta's mother disapprove of the affair. Characters: Roberta Parmesan, MaddalenaLocation: Roberta's Home
Roberta's Defiance — Roberta defends her happiness and rejects their criticism. Characters: Roberta ParmesanLocation: Roberta's Home
Maddalena Departs — Maddalena refuses to stay and leaves town. Characters: MaddalenaLocation: Riccione
The Draft and Flight
Carlo's exemption expires, leading to arrest. Roberta convinces him to flee to Rovigo, but a war-damaged train network forces a difficult and uncertain journey.
Key Events
Maddalena Departs — Maddalena refuses to stay and leaves town. Characters: MaddalenaLocation: Riccione
Curfew Arrest — Carlo and Roberta are arrested by a patrol after curfew for expired exemption. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Riccione Beach
Draft Evasion Plan — Roberta persuades Carlo to hide in her empty villa in Rovigo to avoid the draft. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Rovigo Villa
Journey Interrupted — An air raid damages tracks, cancelling trains except those heading south. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Train Station
Train Separation — Roberta boards a train back to Riccione to find her daughter. Characters: Roberta Parmesan, Carlo CaremoliLocation: Train Platform
Final Separation
An air raid strands them at a station. Roberta boards a train to her daughter, leaving Carlo behind as their romance ends under the weight of war and duty.
Key Events
Train Separation — Roberta boards a train back to Riccione to find her daughter. Characters: Roberta Parmesan, Carlo CaremoliLocation: Train Platform
Final Parting — Carlo hopes to meet again, but Roberta insists their parting is final. Characters: Carlo Caremoli, Roberta ParmesanLocation: Train Platform
Solitary Reflection — Carlo remains behind, facing the reality of separation and impending war. Characters: Carlo CaremoliLocation: Rovigo
Story Breakdown
Summer Romance — The initial meeting and development of Carlo and Roberta's relationship amid a peaceful seaside setting.
Beach Encounter — Carlo comforts a frightened girl, meeting her mother Roberta.
Secret Trips — The couple travels to San Marino, deepening their bond.
War Disruption — External conflicts interrupt the summer, forcing the group into closer quarters and raising tension.
Air Raid Panic — German planes cause chaos, scattering the beachgoers.
Circus Evacuation — An air raid forces the group to retreat to Carlo's villa.
Political Shift — The collapse of the fascist regime alters the social landscape and displaces characters.
Fascist Collapse — Citizens overthrow the regime, toppling Mussolini's bust.
Father's Flight — Carlo's father abandons the villa as it is requisitioned.
Family Conflict — Internal disputes arise over Roberta's relationship with Carlo, testing her autonomy.
Affair Disapproval — Maddalena and Roberta's mother criticize the romance.
Maddalena's Departure — Unable to accept the situation, Maddalena leaves town.
Military Crisis — Legal and institutional pressures threaten Carlo's freedom and the couple's future.
Exemption Expired — Carlo's military exemption ends, triggering arrest.
Draft Evasion Plan — Roberta convinces Carlo to hide in Rovigo to avoid service.
Journey and Separation — The couple's attempt to escape is thwarted by war infrastructure, leading to an inevitable split.
Train Journey — Their travel is interrupted by air raid damage and cancellations.
Final Parting — Roberta boards a train to her daughter, ending their relationship.
Thematic Resolution — The narrative concludes with reflections on lost innocence and the inescapable impact of war.
Lost Innocence — Carlo faces the harsh reality of adulthood and conflict.
Romantic Tragedy — Personal desires are sacrificed to duty and wartime necessity.
Summer, 1943: wealthy youth in the Riccione district of Rimini play while the war gets closer. Carlo Caremoli, a young man who follows the crowd, has found ways to avoid military service. Then, on the beach, he meets Roberta, a war widow with a child. Roberta's mother warns Roberta to avoid Carlo, but to her, he seems attentive and to her daughter he is kind. Romance develops. Within a few weeks, Roberta is risking everything. Can there be a resolution between passion, on the one hand, and war, duty, and social expectation on the other?
