Giacomo meets Giovanni his former best friend with whom he quarreled three years before. Giovanni persuades him to go visit their third friend Aldo who is dying in Sicily; flashbacks tell their story: Aldo was the phantom in operas Giacomo was dubbing films in which he only made noises and Giovanni worked as a living department-store mannequin. Unsatisfied with their careers they try to stage their own show but women troubles separate them.