Although filming went past the contracted period, Ponti never paid Orson Welles a penny in overtime either.

The film vanished from sight for decades following its brief theatrical release, a black-and-white print only surfacing in the early 1990s, making it impossible to evaluate Mario Damicelli's much vaunted color cinematography.

The woman's husband, Captain Perella (Orson Welles), suddenly returns after months away from home for work.

In order to avoid the shame and disgrace of discovery, Paolino hatches a complex plot to ensure that Perella spends a night of pleasure with Assunta to disguise the origin of her pregnancy.

Paolino dresses Assunta in sexy attire to pique her husband's interest and even tries to get him to eat some cake laced with stimulants.