Vittorio is looking for a woman who matches his ideal. Through a classified ad he meets Sonia, a sweet, pleasant, intelligent girl. However, she weighs 125 pounds -- which according to Vittorio is way too much. A goldsmith by trade, Vittorio is obsessed with the desire to shape Sonia's body and mind as does a fire with gold. Almost imperceptibly Sonia becomes a passive participant and the relationship grows into a reciprocal masochistic game. When the two lovers isolate themselves in a country house in the Veneto hills, they dangerously lose touch with reality and the rest of the world.

Leonardo is a young theater enthusiast who has written a comedy for a comedian at sunset, Giordani, and leaves for the Adriatic coast together with the producer Peppino and his assistant to reach the actor and convince him to stage the script. During the journey, which becomes longer and longer and with unusual and bizarre stops, he will soon realize that Peppino's attentions are not disinterested, while he will be attracted by a young and beautiful girl, Paola.