Like Senso, this tale unfolds through the unsettling manuscript of the main character's experiences. Maria, a nurse caring for the troubled protagonist, stumbles upon this disturbing document, which she then shares with us, the audience.
The story follows Giorgio, a deeply disturbed young man from Turin, who takes a vacation to Milan in hopes of confronting the grief from the loss of his beloved twin sister, Emelia. This emotional turmoil intensifies as Christmas Eve approaches, leaving Giorgio in excruciating pain both physically and emotionally, unable to consume food or drink.
As night falls, Giorgio encounters a young prostitute whom he has been obsessively watching, convinced that she bears an uncanny resemblance to his deceased sister. In a desperate plea for solace, he invites her to his hotel room. Although she initially refuses, citing a wait for her husband, Giorgio's promise of financial reward ultimately persuades her to join him.
Upon arriving at his suite, Giorgio orders an extravagant meal along with a bottle of champagne, much to the joy of the young woman. They dine together, and as the atmosphere warms, Giorgio finds his anxiety lessening and his stomach pains subsiding.
During their meal, Giorgio becomes entranced by the young woman's immaculate teeth and, in a moment of bizarre fascination, offers her 500 lire in exchange for one of her teeth. The girl, amused, accepts, noting that acquiring a replacement would only cost her 40 lire, thus allowing her to pocket the profit.
As the night unfolds, the encounter takes a darker turn as the prostitute attempts to initiate sex games. Giorgio, hesitant, begins to realize that her resemblance to Emelia exists solely in his mind, as she is, in fact, just a woman living a harsh reality. As the evening progresses, she succumbs to the effects of alcohol and loses consciousness.
In a fit of revulsion, Giorgio, after much internal conflict, seizes a butter knife and, with a brutal motion, knocks a tooth from her mouth. He escapes the inn, leaving 500 lire for the girl to claim upon waking.
This harrowing account concludes as Maria recounts Giorgio's return home to find his condition gravely deteriorating. He soon succumbs to his depression and physical ailments, becoming bedridden.
As Giorgio lays on his deathbed, Maria is confronted by an unexpected visitor—a rough city girl demanding payment for her services. Disregarding Maria's objections, she barges into Giorgio's room, whereupon he weakly smiles and calls out for Emelia, drawing out the necklace he had given her shortly before her passing. He places it on the naked chest of this new woman, who, upon inspecting her unexpected adornment, reveals a ghastly hole where her perfect tooth once was. Horrified by this reality, Giorgio screams in terror, ultimately leading to his demise.
