An energetic portrait of Italian family life and widow Rosaria’s adoration of her 5 sons, insatiable for her soup and her survival.

They arrive lock, stock, and barrel in Milan to move in with eldest son Vincenzo who, to Rosaria’s dreadful shock, is engaged to be married. The two women meet and engagement is severed in a trice, the two families estranged, Rosaria’s family whole again but homeless.

Sketches of the progress of each brother are shown as they integrate into alien metropolitan life, but Visconti dwells on the fiery relationship between Simone (Salvatore) and Rocco (Alain Delon).

Simone, thuggish by nature, pursues boxing as a career, whilst virtuous Rocco puts the family first and tries the dry-cleaning industry, plumping for stability, though mocked.

Nadia, internee, called “whore” by Mama, comes between the two brothers, but Simone saw her first so all hell lets loose.