In the early '70s Magnani, by this time a livinglegend in Italy, enjoyed a last burst of acclaim with a four-filmtelevision series designed as a tribute to her. The films comprised akind of anthology of her career, from the variety show performer in themoving film La Sciantosa to the passionate working-class woman in In theYear 1870. In the midst of World War I, Flora (Magnani), a veteran divaof the "cafe-chantant," accepts an offer to perform forsoldiers at the front. From the stage she sees that her audience iscomposed entirely of wounded soldiers, which enhances both the passionof her performance and the chaos when the hall is bombarded.