In 19th-century Papal Rome, Bartolomeo is a wealthy and greedy parvenu who craves a noble title. While trying to raise the money he needs to strike a deal with a prince for the hand of his daughter, he'll find himself caught in a magical journey between past, present and future. Assisted by some rather illustrious companions, he'll have to come to terms with whom he really is and give his life a new meaning.

A young Italian worker, persuaded by his friend to take on a one-off 'nightwatchman' job for easy money, finds the reality is more macabre -- and complex -- than he expected.