Yolanda and the Thief

In Patria's convent, Yolanda Acquaviva celebrates turning 18, signaling her upcoming control of the Acquaviva fortune previously managed by Aunt Amarilla. The moment highlights how unprepared she feels to take on the family wealth. The mother superior promises that her guardian angel will watch over her.

The mother superior assures Yolanda that her guardian angel watches over her, foreshadowing the protective myths surrounding her fortune. Yolanda wonders if this guardian is real. The moment reinforces the sense that invisible help will guide her path.

Two American con men, Johnny Riggs and Victor Trout, arrive in Patria, drawn by its lack of extradition laws and the promise of a rich heiress. They plot to exploit the fortune as soon as they learn of Yolanda. The idea of easy wealth drives their bold entrance.

On the train through the Patrian countryside, they overhear a waiter mention the Acquaviva fortune and later read a newspaper about Yolanda. The news sets their plan in motion. They begin to imagine how they will cash in on the heiress's wealth.

Yolanda is greeted at her estate by Aunt Amarilla and a crowd of servants, beginning her official handling of the fortune. The scene establishes the power dynamics and introduces her into the world of wealth she must manage. It also highlights Aunt Amarilla's grip on the estate.

Alone in the garden, Yolanda prays for guidance to her guardian angel, unaware that Johnny is listening nearby and hears her plea. The moment creates a tense, uneasy bridge between Yolanda's devotion and the con man's deception. It sets the stage for the later meeting in disguise.

Johnny phones Yolanda, posing as her guardian angel and insisting he cannot appear in angelic form, arranging to meet in human disguise. The deception begins to take hold as Yolanda agrees to his plan. The call marks the turning point from distant manipulation to direct contact.

Johnny meets Yolanda in a human disguise and tells her he will relieve her of the burden of wealth; she naively agrees to his plan. The two form a dangerous alliance built on trust and manipulation. The scene marks the shift from talk to action.

Johnny dreams about Yolanda, which unsettles him, but he remains committed to the con and continues the plan with Victor to steal bonds. The dreams reveal his inner conflict over lying to someone he is beginning to care for. The plan proceeds despite growing misgivings.

Johnny and Victor manage to steal Yolanda's valuable bonds, yet escaping the scene proves more dangerous than anticipated, bringing them into a tense pursuit. The escape becomes a race against time and a test of their partnership. The incident marks a turning point as the cost of deceit surfaces.

The situation draws in Mr. Candle, a third party who claims an interest in Yolanda's wellbeing and suggests the plan is for everyone's best outcome. Candle's presence creates an uneasy balance of motives around Yolanda's fortune. He seems to know more than he lets on.

Candle reveals he is Yolanda's true guardian angel, stopping Johnny's flight and urging him to return to Yolanda as a reformed man. The revelation reframes the con as a test of character rather than a straightforward crime. Johnny's decision to listen marks the beginning of a moral turnaround.

Moved by Candle's assertion, Johnny returns the bonds to Yolanda and renounces the con. He chooses to pursue a genuine relationship rather than crime.

Yolanda grows more enamored with Johnny, complicating the con's original plan and steering the relationship toward trust rather than deceit. Her feelings deepen as she believes in his reformation. The bond between them grows as the truth about the fortune remains unresolved.

In the end, Johnny reforms and marries Yolanda, choosing honest love over deceit and promising to manage her fortune together. The marriage seals their partnership and marks a new chapter for the Acquaviva fortune.