Sua Eccellenza si fermò a mangiare

In Rome in the early 1930s, a con artist impersonates Benito Mussolini's personal physician Dr. Biagio Tanzarella and begins blackmailing Ernesto, a husband with wandering eyes. He uses the physician persona to apply pressure and extract Ernesto's secrets. The ruse triggers a chain of deceptions that drives the rest of the plot.

Ernesto resents Silvia's aloofness and tolerates no real warmth from their marriage. He begins a discreet affair with Lauretta, an older woman he regards as easier and more desirable. Lauretta's presence further complicates the web of loyalties at play.

Silvia's mother, Countess Bernabei, invites the fake doctor to her country estate where a Minister of State will be a guest to inaugurate a monument. She hopes that her influence with both the Minister and the Doctor will advance Ernesto's career. The invitation sets the stage for the central caper around the golden tableware.

The Doctor initially declines the invitation but changes his mind when he learns the banquet will feature solid-gold tableware chiseled by Benvenuto Cellini. He sees a golden opportunity to steal the loot. He arrives prepared to execute his plan.

To prevent Ernesto from exposing his true identity, the Doctor brings Lauretta with him, pretending she is his wife. Lauretta is furious at the deception because Ernesto had told her to marry an older, uglier woman. The fake marriage adds tension to their already volatile relationships.

At the country estate, a web of lies blooms into a stew of misunderstandings and comic situations. The various characters stumble over each other's stories as the Doctor's scheme to steal the gold tableware intensifies. The lively farce hinges on who knows what about whom.

It is revealed that years earlier the Minister tried to seduce Lauretta in a train carriage but was foiled by an embarrassing sexual defaillance. The revelation adds another layer of awkward comedy and potential vulnerability to the Minister. The memory informs current tensions among the guests.

During the banquet, escalating misunderstandings fuel a crescendo of comic episodes while the Doctor presses his plan to seize the tableware. Lauretta and Silvia's rivalries intersect with Ernesto's resentments, amplifying the chaos. The atmosphere teeters on the brink of collapse as the loot remains the prize.

The Doctor coordinates a fake phone call from The Duce, providing a credible alibi and signaling that the operation should proceed. With the ruse in place, the golden tableware is carried off in plain sight. The guests accept the spectacle as part of the entertainment.

The loot vanishes and the Doctor makes his escape, leaving the guests unaware of the theft. Ernesto and Lauretta observe the farce as if nothing happened, while the deception seems to have worked. The gold pieces disappear without raising suspicion.

In the aftermath, Ernesto and Silvia reconcile, and their marital affection is rekindled by the chaotic turn of events. The shared crisis strengthens their bond, allowing them to move forward together. The immediate threat to their marriage is resolved in a surprising way.

The Minister elevates Ernesto to a high government post and compensates Lauretta for the earlier romantic misadventure, smoothing over the love triangle. The power shift solidifies Ernesto's new status while Lauretta gains an advantageous position in the social circle. The caper ends with a political and romantic resolution.