Il grido

Aldo, simple ouvrier, vit en couple avec Irma dont le mari travaille en Australie. À la mort de ce dernier, Irma lui annonce qu'elle renonce au mariage et le quitte. Elle aime ailleurs. Aldo quitte alors son travail et la ville de son malheur pour sillonner les routes d'Italie. Il emmène sa fille, Rosina, dans cette errance qui le conduit, de femme en femme, vers le désespoir absolu. Au terme de sa longue route, il retourne dans son village et tente de revoir Irma...

Aldo (Steve Cochran) has worked at the sugar refinery in Goriano for seven years. His long-time mistress, Irma (Alida Valli), learns that her husband, who left for Australia years ago in search of a job, recently died there. Irma goes to the sugar refinery and drops off Aldo's lunch, but does not stay to talk with him. Concerned about her behavior, Aldo goes back to the house where they discuss her husband's death. Aldo suggests that after seven years they can finally get married and legitimize their daughter, Rosina (Mirna Girardi). The next day, Irma reveals that she loves someone else. Aldo can hardly believe her words, saying, "All these years, nothing was true." In the coming days he tries desperately to change her mind but it is no use, and the relationship ends with him slapping her in public.

Irma viene a sapere che il marito, emigrato per lavoro, è morto. La donna ormai da anni frequenta Aldo, con il quale ha una bambina. Dopo questa notizia Irma sente di non amare più Aldo, che è costretto a lasciare la sua casa con Rosina, la figlia, e girovagare in cerca di un nuovo posto dove stare.