Side Street Story

The film intertwines satire and comedy to depict the lives of ordinary citizens residing on a Naples side street amidst the tumultuous events spanning from 1940 to 1950. Under the oppressive rule of Fascists, then Nazi occupation, followed by Allied forces' invasion, these individuals navigate their day-to-day existence with wit and humor. Gennaro Iovine (Eduard De Filippo), an innocent troublemaker, finds himself in various predicaments. His friend Pasquale (Toto), a rail-sweeper by profession, becomes an unlikely professional stand-in - a substitute corpse used to hide contraband, a jail term substitute for those who don't wish to serve their own sentences, and even a substitute participant at high-stakes political rallies to protect speakers from potential violence. This film showcases the absurdity and resilience of the human spirit under extraordinary circumstances through the lens of comedy.