[1] In Rome, Michele Apicella moves to a new apartment and starts a new job as mathematics teacher in the experimental Marilyn Monroe high school where most of the staff are, like him, eccentric.

The film ends with his rambling confession to the patient inspector over how the dead neighbour and friends had disappointed him and upset his need for order in life.

"Michele Apicella" is the nom-de-plume used by Nanni Moretti for his roles in all his films (except The Mass Is Ended (1985)) until Palombella rossa of 1989.

Songs in the film include "Insieme a te non ci sto più" (sung by Caterina Caselli), "Il cielo in una stanza" by Gino Paoli and "Scalo a Grado" by Franco Battiato.

In the Marilyn Monroe school, the traditional portraits of the President of the Italian Republic in the rooms are replaced by that of football goalkeeper Dino Zoff.