Based on the namesake book, the movie follows Peppino, an old hit man in a '70 Naples, forced to come back in action by the murder of his son. This tragic event also arises reflections on life and on the society in all the characters.

In order to avoid the death of the husband (the criminal boss Don Vincenzo, "King of the Fish"), Donna Maria sends her henchmen to kill a lookalike (a shoe-seller) and then she sets up a fake funeral, while the husband is hiding in a secret place...