简介：AlbertoNardi(AlbertoSordi)isaRomanbusinessmanwhofancieshimselfamanofgreatcapabilities,butwhosefactory(producingliftsandelevators)tethersperenniallyonthebrinkofcatastrophe. AlbertoismarriedtoarichandsuccessfulbusinesswomanfromMilan,ElviraAlmiraghi(FrancaValeri)whohasano-nonsenseattitudeandbarelytoleratestheattemptsofherhusbandtokeephisfactoryafloatwithhermoney. Albertotriesto"keepup"withhiswifeandherrichandsuccessfulfriendsbutheonlymanagestoridiculehimself.AmusedbyhisanticsElvirapubliclytreatsherhusbandasasillyclown,confidentthathe'llneverleaveherinthehopeofprofitingfromherfortune. OnedayatrainwhereElvirawassupposedtobetraveling(topayvisittoheroldmother)suffersahorribleaccidentfallingoffabridgeandnosurvivorsarereported. AlbertoisoverjoyedandinaveritableecstaticrushplanstoliquidatemostofElvira'sassets,bringshismistressinhercountryvillaandstartsdreamingofabrightfutureonlytobefrustratedwhenElviraappearsaliveandwell:alast-minutephonecallfromhisownaccountantandhandyman(MarquisStucchi)preventedherfromboardingthedoomedtrain. FrustrationandangerthrowAlbertoinanervousbreakdownfromwhichheemergeswithadiabolicplan:sabotagetheelevatorintheatticwhereheliveswithElviratohaveherkilledandinheritherfortuneforgood. TheGermanengineerworkinginhisfactoryagreeswithNardi'splanandwiththehelpofunlikelyaccompliceslikeMarquisStucchiandhisownuncle(whoactsasAlberto'schauffer)themurderousprojectissetinmotion,withanunintendedandtragicomicalresult.Themovieisasplendidexampleofthecommediaall'italianawhichRisidirectsonanunusuallyblackregisterwhereSordidepictsanoutrageouslysleazycharacter(arroganttohissubjects,megalomaniac,abigotedunrepentantfascistwhoyetlongsforrecognitionfromthebusinessmenwhoenvies).Itisalsointerestingasaperiodpiece,showingthecontradictionsandmiserieslyingbehindItaly'spostwareconomicmiracle.…