The somewhat kinky writer Roberto (Elio Marchi) is hiding out from the Gestapo, and decides that the ideal place to spend the war would be in a room at a fancy brothel which has its own cabaret. It is run by a down-to-earth madam played by Viveca Lindefors. He rents an expensive room there and pays for the exclusive services of Luba (Bozena Lasota), one of the prostitutes. However, he doesn't want her for sex, just conversation. He wants someone to discuss the place of idealism in the face of tyranny with. She thinks it's better to focus on coping with the ordinary terrors of everyday life, and doesn't hesitate to give him the benefit of her scathing opinions of him and his idealism. While they argue and discuss philosophy, Roberto has flashbacks of his earlier life. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi