Shoeshine

Giuseppe Filippucci and Pasquale Maggi are two boys living in Rome who earn a living by shining shoes while saving to buy a horse. Their shared goal anchors their days and shapes the choices they make. The friendship at the core of the story is the engine that drives the plot forward.

Giuseppe's older brother Attilio visits and mentions that Panza has work for the boys. Pasquale brings Giuseppe to meet Panza, who gives them two blankets to sell. The money from this small job promises a real step toward finally buying a horse.

The blankets are taken to a fortune teller who buys them, turning a quick profit for the boys. Panza, Attilio, and another man burst into the fortune teller's house posing as policemen, accusing the fortune teller of handling stolen goods and forcing the boys to retreat. Attilio instructs the boys to leave quietly, letting them keep the blanket money (2,800 lira) plus 3,000 additional lira.

With the money gained, Giuseppe and Pasquale buy a horse and ride it through the city. The purchase represents a tangible achievement toward their long-denied dream. They return to the city feeling that their hustle has paid off.

Back in Rome, the real police—alongside the fortune teller—bring Giuseppe and Pasquale to the precinct for questioning. They are accused of stealing 700,000 lira from the fortune teller's home, a crime tied to Panza and Attilio's con. The boys deny the charges and refuse to reveal their knowledge of the con men, and they are sent to a juvenile detention center.

Inside the juvenile detention center, Giuseppe shares food with fellow inmates while Arcangeli discovers a note tucked in a bread crust from Attilio's boss, urging secrecy. The boys decide not to divulge the truth about the con, creating a fragile pact to protect those involved. The situation deepens their entanglement with the crime plot.

During questioning, the police chief threatens to extract information by force. In a side room, a fake beating is staged with a sandbag while a pretend scream echoes, creating false evidence. Pasquale, seeking to end the uncertainty, names Panza and Attilio to the chief.

Giuseppe learns that Pasquale betrayed him by revealing the names of Panza and Attilio to the police. He confronts Pasquale in front of the other inmates, exposing the fracture in their friendship. The betrayal casts a shadow over their shared past and future.

A file is planted in Pasquale's cell, and he is flogged as punishment. The incident underscores the brutal environment of the detention system and the precariousness of their position. It also raises the stakes for their ongoing legal struggles.

In the official court hearing, Giuseppe is sentenced to one year and Pasquale to two years in prison for their involvement. The verdict formalizes their separation and the consequences of the con. The brothers' path forward is now shaped by prison walls.

Giuseppe commits to Arcangeli's plan to escape, timing it with a movie being shown in the prison. They manage to break out while the film plays, slipping away from custody. The escape changes the momentum of the story and sets up the final chase.

Pasquale informs the police chief of Giuseppe and Arcangeli's location and leads them to where the horse is kept. The trio attempts another escape on the horse, but the escape is incomplete as the horse and fugitives flee. The pursuit intensifies as the story heads toward a climactic confrontation.

Giuseppe and Arcangeli ride the horse toward a bridge after escaping, while Pasquale confronts Giuseppe with the intent to flog him. Giuseppe falls from the bridge, hitting rocks below and appearing dead. Pasquale grieves as the police arrive and the horse bolts into the distance.