故事发生在1950年代，讲述一位有抱负的年轻意大利女演员在一个漫长而紧张的夜晚中的旅程，她作为临时演员前往Cinecittà工作室试镜，经历了一些难忘的时光，这将标志着她向成熟女性的转变。
三年前无故失踪，抛夫弃子的母亲突然回到家中，渴望破镜重圆，但一切情形已不同于当年，小孩已渐独立而昔日丈夫也有了知心女友。面对重重阻碍，这位心理变态的母亲以各种破坏手段进行她的计划，她誓言得到她原有的幸福，经历一幕幕恐怖事件之后，这位母亲终于自食恶果结束这场游戏。
Bill Saunders, disturbed ex-soldier, kills a man in a postwar London pub brawl. Fleeing, he hides out in the apartment of lonely nurse Jane Wharton. Later, despite misgivings about his violent nature, Jane becomes involved with Bill, who resolves to reform. She gets him a job driving a medical supplies truck. But racketeer Harry Carter, who witnessed the killing, wants to use Bill's talents for crime.
