A recently bereaved Englishwoman, Mary Panton, portrayed by Kristin Scott Thomas, finds herself residing at the opulent villa of affluent friends just outside Florence, Italy, amidst the turbulent backdrop of 1938. The day after a gathering to celebrate the Munich Agreement, her old acquaintance, Sir Edgar Swift, played by James Fox, unexpectedly proposes marriage. Although taken aback, Mary requests a few days to contemplate his offer, which he graciously accepts, promising to return from Rome for their discussion.
That evening, as she attends a soirée hosted by her friend, the Princess San Ferdinando, enchanting depicted by Anne Bancroft, Mary crosses paths with the charming but married American, Rowley Flint, brought to life by Sean Penn, known for his roguish demeanor. During the festivities, the entertainment—a violinist, acted by Jeremy Davies, is so inept that the Princess has him dismissed. Moved by compassion, Mary discreetly tips him generously. Rowley offers Mary a ride home, en route to which, they stop at a quaint church. Here, Mary reveals her painful history of being married to an abusive alcoholic who perished in a car accident, leaving her in dire straits. Attempting to get closer, Rowley leans in to kiss her, but she recoils and drives off, her frustration boiling over as she narrowly avoids hitting the young violinist from earlier, who turns out to be Karl Richter.
Feeling a sense of sympathy for Karl, a starving refugee from Austria fleeing Nazi oppression, Mary invites him for dinner. After an emotionally charged evening, she succumbs to temptation, sharing an intimate moment with him, only for him to depart the following morning. The very same day, Mary attends a meeting with fellow English expatriates and local authorities, where Beppino Leopardi, the Fascist official, sternly informs them they must legally register their stay in Italy. Later that night, much to her astonishment, Karl breaks into her room professing his love. However, when she confesses her earlier act was one of "pity," he erupts with rage, resulting in a chaotic confrontation that tragically culminates in his suicide with the gun she had received from Sir Edgar.
In a frantic state, Mary enlists Rowley’s help to conceal the incident, leading to a heart-pounding moment where they dispose of Karl's body in the woods, manipulating the evidence to avert any implication of her involvement. Yet their relief is short-lived when Leopardi soon shows up to inform Mary that Rowley has been arrested for possessing an unregistered firearm belonging to Sir Edgar. Fearing for Rowley’s fate, as well as the repercussions for Edgar, Mary cleverly seeks out the Princess. In a bold move, she gets the Princess intoxicated, coaxing her into revealing a past of blackmail against Leopardi involving incriminating financial documents.
Seizing the opportunity, Mary visits Leopardi's office, brandishing the documents as leverage to secure Rowley’s release. Though he is furious, Leopardi complies, allowing her to bring a wounded Rowley back home. Confession lays heavy on Mary as she admits her feelings for Rowley, yet they acknowledge the impossibility of fidelity and part ways. Later, Mary confides in Edgar, sharing the tumultuous experiences she has faced in recent days. Surprisingly empathetic, he still desires to marry her, albeit acknowledging that accepting her would require relinquishing his esteemed position to prevent a scandal. Realizing she does not love him and fearing for his career, Mary ultimately declines his proposal.
The following day at the station, as Mary embarks on her journey back to London, she is taken aback when Rowley joins her in the train car. Announcing his own plans to travel to Paris, they mutually decide to embark on this adventure together, suggesting a fresh start for their relationship amidst the ebbs and flows of life’s chaos.
