AllMovie

During World War II, the powerful and influential Italian Communist Party actively supported the anti-fascist resistance. Now the Germans have surrendered, and Hitler and Mussolini are both dead. However, in this story, one group of partisans can't resist the opportunity to complete some of the assassinations they had planned. The new Italian Republic is calling for ex-Nazis to be tried under the new legal system, and the Communist Party is echoing that sentiment. When the die-hard partisans finally pull off the hit, they manage to kill not only the high-ranking Nazi they were aiming at, but two not-so-innocent bystanders, members of the Italian mafia. The civilian authorities are seeking the killers, and the communists are trying to retain the legitimacy they have so precariously attained. They search out one of the gang, now on the run from both the civil authorities and the mafia, and persuade him to turn state's evidence.