Quatre amics cinquantins, que porten tota la vida junts, es passen el dia organitzant bromes pesades per burlar-se dels altres. Són el periodista Giorgio Perozzi, perseguit per la reprovació del seu fill i la seva exdona; l'arquitecte Rambaldo Melandri, sensible als afers del cor; el bàrman Guido Necchi, propietari del bar on el grup es reuneix cada nit; i el comte Mascetti, un noble vingut a menys, obligat a viure en un soterrani, que no té cap escrúpol a l'hora d'allunyar la dona i la filla per gaudir d'una relació clandestina amb la jove amant, Titti. Tots ells, conscients que els ajuda a seguir units, recorren a les bromes per prolongar la joventut i defensar-se de les penes de la vida.

Serafino, a young and innocent shepherd, inherits a huge fortune. He immediately starts spending the entire sum on presents for his friends, causing the envy of his family.

Alfredo, a timid young Italian, lusts after and woos the beautiful Maria Rosa. But when he manages to marry her, he discovers life is not nearly so blissful as he expected.

Franca and her husband Antonio decide to sell a yellow rug which was a gift of Franca's stepfather. One day, while Antonio is out, a strange man rings saying he wishes to buy the rug. But the man's visit begins a twisted a nightmare.

A TV producer cultivates a somewhat reserved and protective young woman after interviewing her for one of his programs.

The young, pretty and shy Angela Duvall is jailed for murder in some Latin American country. In the prison she gets brutally "initiated" by the other inmates. The nice, honest and handsome prison doctor believe she's innocent and tries to help her out.