After the Allies liberate Naples in 1943, life for the locals is not much easier, especially for women. Many sacrifice their dignity and morale to survive.

Don Vincenzo is a well respected boss from Naples, but he protects people from other criminals, like gypsies, loan sharks and Don Bufalo...but as they say in Naples, a Mammasantissima either ends in jail or inside a grave.

A drug deal goes bad and the heroin is stolen. One mob boss doesn't have his drugs and the other doesn't get his money. People are going to die until they discover who double-crossed them. Into this backdrop, Inspector Dario Mauri arrives from Milan to help clean-up Naples. His mission – find the drugs and stop the killing.

Set in Naples at the end of the 19th century, I Guappi tells the story of a strange friendship between the powerful and charismatic Camorra boss, Don Gaetano (Fabio Testi), and one of the many scugnizzi who grew up on the streets, Nicola Bellizzi (Franco Nero). Nicola, thanks to Don Gaetano's protection, becomes first an honoured picciotto of the Camorra and then a lawyer. He tries to break away from his 'family', but falls back into a life of crime and violence.