In Rome, Guido Tersilli, Alberto Sordi a young medical graduate, dreams of opening his own practice to repay his widowed mother’s countless sacrifices. He signs up with a health-insurance scheme that rewards him for every new patient, and the more people he treats, the more money he earns. The catch is that some requests from patients push beyond the bounds of necessity, turning medical care into a race for quantity over quality.
With the support of his mother and fiancée Teresa, Sara Franchetti, Guido sets out to establish his practice. He also gains practical experience by volunteering in a hospital, where his energy and resolve win him the attention of the head physician and the nursing staff. Yet his aggressive, hustle-driven method of attracting patients begins to strain his colleagues and unsettle the hospital’s routines.
To amplify his patient base, Guido befriends an elderly doctor, Dr. Bui, and orchestrates a deceitful plan by feigning affection for Bui’s wife, convincing them to transfer all patients to him. The scheme deepens as Guido relocates to a new clinic after Bui’s death, leaving the widow behind and widening the net of his influence.
Everything accelerates when Guido encounters Anna Maria, a wealthy woman he intends to marry. The prospect of stability fuels his ambition, but the mounting pressure of tending to over 3,100 patients takes a physical and emotional toll, and he collapses. Though his colleagues attempt to lay claim to his patients, Guido resurges, choosing to carry on his practice from home and directing his nurse over the phone.
This brisk, satirical look at medical ambition traces Guido’s ascent and its ethical costs, painting a portrait of a man driven by money, prestige, and a relentless drive to control every outcome. Through its wry humor and sharp observations, the story raises questions about the price of competence when success means bending, or breaking, the rules. As Guido negotiates love, loyalty, and legitimacy, the film invites viewers to consider where ambition ends and humanity begins, all set against the bustling backdrop of postwar Rome.
