Ugo, Raimondo and Marcella, are a trio of unsuccessful actors who specialize in crime shorts which are never seen. While they are rehearsing a proposed short in front of a producer in a boarding-house bedroom, they are seen through the window by Arturo, who takes Ugo and Raimondo as real killers and Marcella as their victim. Arturo is married to a faithless, two-timing woman, Annalisa, whom he would like very much to dispose of, and he manages to contact Ugo and Raimondo through a newspaper ad and promises them a large sum of money if they will carry out the job for him. Neither man would hurt a fly, but they need the money so badly, they pretend to accept the job. They work out an elaborate plan that will convince Arturo his wife is dead and he will pay them. But neither of them knows that Arturo's wife also has plans to get rid of him and, together with her lover, she too has a plan and intends to use it, while using Ugo as the fall-guy.