Cesira (Sophia Loren) escapes from bombs that are striking Rome in WWII. She and her preteen daughter, Rosetta (Eleonora Brown), go back to Cesira’s birthplace in search of safety and shelter. Cesira does all that she can to protect her daughter during their trip and in her hometown, but cannot prevent soldiers from attacking and raping the two of them inside the church. Cesira is torn apart mentally and emotionally by this event, which has overwhelmed her. Because of the trauma, Cesira has trouble responding to the true love shown to her by Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) after he falls for her.