Childless city folks, Francesca and Pierpaulo, buy a farmhouse near Sienna and settle in for the country life. He writes thrillers, she seems unfulfilled. When she learns that neighbors haven't seen their son, a doctor in Africa, for several years, she offers to care for their aged parents. Paulo is not pleased, but the old couple moves in with them, and a series of skirmishes break out between Paulo and the old man. Soon Francesca and Paulo as sniping at each other as well, then word comes that their neighbors have been kidnaped by rebels in the African bush. What to do with the aged couple and what to do with each other become the big questions for Francesca and Paulo.