Toto the Third Man

In a small village, Peter is gruff, precise, and the town's mayor, while his brother Paul loves the good life and women. Their contrasting personalities create a constant undercurrent of tension that affects everyone around them. The stage is set for a conflict that will ripple through the whole community.

The town plans to build a new prison on land owned by Paul, triggering a municipal resolution to acquire the property. Peter blocks the transaction to avoid accusations of favoritism toward his brother. This bureaucratic maneuver sets the central conflict in motion.

Anacleto the tailor, recently released from jail, hatches a scheme and recruits Toto—the third secret twin—to impersonate Peter and obtain money owed to Paul. He believes Toto can stir up confusion while staying just out of reach of suspicion. The plan hinges on Toto’s ability to mimic Peter’s appearance while acting very differently.

Toto, posing as Peter, goes to Paul’s house and hands over the money owed to Paul for the land sale. The impersonation triggers a cascade of confusion about who is in charge and who owns the funds. The real Peter and Paul become convinced someone is pretending to be the other.

To recover the money, Toto returns to Paul’s home, pretending to be Paul and causing further misunderstandings with Paul's wife and his maid. The deception continues, but the money still remains unresolved. Just as things seem to settle, the real Paul arrives and upends the ruse.

Peter and Paul, each convinced the other is secretly in his home pretending to be him, decide to report the other to the prosecutor. The joke escalates as the two townsfolk become entangled in a case of mistaken identity. The community grows wary of where truth ends and trickery begins.

In the courtroom, the farce becomes surreal as testimonies and disguises collide. The judges, witnesses, and townspeople scramble to make sense of the chaos. The idea that a third brother might exist begins to take hold.

Oreste, the innkeeper’s wife, kidnaps Toto believing there is jealousy or a hidden motive behind the impersonations. The kidnapping deepens the confusion and raises the stakes for everyone involved. Toto is taken away, leaving the town to wonder what comes next.

Toto escapes with the help of the town drunkard, the only witness who had seen Toto but was too intoxicated to intervene. They slip back into the town, hoping to avoid further chaos. The escape marks a temporary turn in the escalating caper.

As confusion peaks, someone starts to suspect a third brother might exist. The idea promises a twist: Peter offers his fishing hut and Paul his guns and dogs to the supposed third brother as a form of reconciliation and inheritance. The possibility redefines the stakes for all.

Toto arrives at the court to reveal the full truth about the impersonations and the supposed third brother. His revelation clears the air and exposes the comic web of disguises that has paralyzed the town. The neighbors learn there was a third twin all along.

The third brother promises a peaceful and prosperous life, helped by the heritage of his brothers. He agrees to share life with the ex-maid of Paul, signaling a new unity for the village. The film closes on a note of reconciliation and shared fortune.