The story is set in Illyria, fictional central European country, towards the end of World War II. A young man infiltrates into the house of a left-wing politician as his secretary. By order of the Communist party, the young man has to kill the politician, who is suspected of a strategy of compromise with other parties.

• Marcello Mastroianni
• Giovanni Visentin
• Anna Maria Gherardi
• Giuliana De Sio
• Pietro Biondi
• Omero Antonutti
• Massimo Foschi
• Bruno Pagni