What Is The Five Days About?
The premise of The Five Days in 272 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the fever‑dream streets of 1848 Milan, a city roiled by artillery and street cries, the looming specter of revolution hovers over every doorway. The city’s narrow alleys and bustling piazzas become a living tapestry of fear, hope, and the ordinary lives trying to persist amid bombardment. The film captures this volatile moment with a keen eye for detail, letting the clatter of horse‑drawn carts and the distant thuds of cannon fire paint a backdrop that feels both historic and immediate.
Into this turbulent tableau steps the restless outlaw Meo Cainazzo, a petty thief who slips free from his confinement as the first explosions shatter the night. At the same time, a warm‑hearted Roman baker named Romulus arrives in Milan, summoned by family ties and a desire to lend a hand. Their meeting is accidental yet inevitable, a clash of street‑wise pragmatism and simple, earnest kindness. Together they become an unlikely pair navigating a city where humor surfaces in the most absurd corners, and misfortune lurks just beyond a comrade’s laugh.
The story unfolds as a bittersweet blend of tragicomedy and gritty realism, inviting viewers to watch two strangers witness the chaotic climax of the Italian Revolution without ever losing sight of their personal stakes. Their perspectives offer a human lens on history: the thief sees the uprising as a chance for freedom, while the baker finds moments of compassion amid the clamor. The tone balances the absurdity of everyday survival with the solemn weight of a nation in revolt, leaving the audience to wonder how far ordinary people will go when the streets themselves become a battlefield of ideals and survival.
What Happens in The Five Days?
The complete story of The Five Days, from the first scene to the last, in 469 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
The film unfolds in Milan during the dramatic Five Days of Milan, the anti-Austrian uprising that rages from 18 to 22 March 1848, painting a city roiled by conflict and crowded with ordinary people trying to survive the chaos. A petty criminal, Meo Cainazzo, escapes from prison as artillery blasts shake the streets and propels him on a search for his gang leader, Zampino. Along the way he forms an unlikely alliance with a warm-hearted Roman baker, Romulus, who has come to Milan to help his uncle with work, and the two men quickly discover that humor and misfortune can mingle in the most unexpected moments.
Together they stumble into a string of tragicomic episodes that pull them deeper into the city’s upheaval. They lend a hand in erecting a barricade made from furniture belonging to a(n) nymphomaniac countess, a moment that blends farce with danger and exposes how ordinary objects become symbols of collective struggle. They also become involved in a human moment when they help a woman give birth, a scene that brings a rare warmth amid the surrounding turmoil. Their path then crosses with the ambitions of a formidable baron, Baron Tranzunto, who recruits them into his brigade even as street violence, patriot fervor, and Austrian reprisals rage around them.
As the city reels, the film shows the raw tension of loyalty and betrayal. A man denounces his girlfriend as a collaborator after she is discovered with a soldier, and the couple becomes a focal point of the night’s violence. Baron Tranzunto orders his men to seize the woman and the soldier, and the confrontation turns brutal: the soldier is killed and the baron moves to commit another grave act. The woman at the center of the confrontation is portrayed by Ivana Monti, and Romulus steps in during the conflict. In the ensuing struggle, the baron falters and falls down the stairs, dying, while Romulus is captured and shot, a stark moment that marks the cost of taking a stand in a city at war.
The drama intensifies as Cainazzo is briefly reunited with Zampino, only to confront a harsh truth: his ally had been secretly working with the Austrians, casting a shadow over the revolution and leaving Cainazzo to question whether the uprising he hoped for was truly genuine. The film closes on a note of disillusionment and resilience, inviting viewers to consider how individuals navigate loyalty, truth, and survival amid history’s upheavals.
The tension and tenderness captured in these encounters are balanced by stark, observational detail—the crowded streets, the sudden bursts of violence, the quiet moments of human connection that persist even in upheaval. The result is a portrait of Milan during a turning point in its history, where humor and tragedy intertwine and ordinary people are forced to choose where their loyalties lie.
The Five Days Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Escape from prison amid artillery bombardment” to “Final mood: aftermath and ambiguity”. 12 events name a place, across 5 locations.
- 1
Escape from prison amid artillery bombardment
Meo Cainazzo escapes from prison as Milan is hit by an artillery bombardment. He slips into the chaos of the city, intent on finding his gang leader Zampino. The escape launches his perilous journey through the urban upheaval of the Five Days of Milan.
When:18 March 1848 (morning) Where:Milan
- 2
Meo meets Romulus while searching for Zampino
Wandering the streets of Milan, Meo encounters Romulus, a good-natured Roman baker who has come to help his uncle. The two men form an uneasy alliance as they navigate the revolt. Their growing bond becomes a lifeline amid the city’s chaos.
When:18 March 1848 (afternoon) Where:Milan streets
- 3
Erect barricade with the countess's furniture
The pair join locals to quickly erect a barricade using furniture belonging to a nymphomaniac countess. The improvised defense captures the makeshift, tragicomic spirit of the uprising. It shows how ordinary people are drawn into the conflict.
When:18-19 March 1848 (evening) Where:A Milan street/barricade site
- 4
Help a woman give birth amid the turmoil
Amid the chaos, Meo and Romulus assist a woman in giving birth, offering what aid they can as the city trembles with conflict. The moment underscores the civilians’ vulnerability and the human stakes of the revolt. Their mercy stands in contrast to the surrounding violence.
When:18-19 March 1848 (night) Where:Milan, in a makeshift shelter
- 5
Forced recruitment into Baron Trazunto's brigade
The duo is coerced into joining Baron Trazunto's ambitious brigade, compelled to fight against their will. They quickly realize they are being pressed into service to support a leadership that may misuse the revolution’s momentum. This forced recruitment adds to the film’s critique of manipulation in civil upheaval.
When:19 March 1848 Where:Milan
- 6
Witnessing patriot violence and Austrian reprisals
As battles rage, Meo and Romulus witness the Patriots’ violence and the Austrian reprisals that target civilians. The city’s mood darkens as fear and brutality spread through the streets. The moment highlights the complexity and danger at the heart of the uprising.
When:19-20 March 1848 Where:Milan
- 7
A denunciation leads to a brutal raid
A man denounces his girlfriend as a collaborator after she’s seen with a soldier. Baron Trazunto's men swoop in, killing the soldier in the street. The incident intensifies the climate of suspicion and violence surrounding the revolt.
When:20 March 1848 Where:Milan
- 8
Romulus defends the girl as Trazunto falls
Romulus tries to defend the girl from Trazunto’s advances, and in the ensuing struggle the Baron falls down the stairs and dies. The fight also highlights how quickly violence spirals out of control during the uprising. Romulus’s confrontation marks a turning point in their capricious fortunes.
When:21 March 1848 Where:Baron Trazunto's residence, Milan
- 9
Romulus is taken away and shot
Romulus is captured and shot, removing the friend from Meo’s side and underscoring the human cost of the conflict. The brutality of the reprisals continues to claim lives as the uprising grinds on. Meo confronts the losses caused by the violence that surrounds him.
When:21-22 March 1848 Where:Milan streets
- 10
Cainazzo reunites with Zampino and learns of betrayal
Meo Cainazzo reunites with Zampino, only to discover that Zampino has been working with the Austrians. The revelation reveals that the revolution’s promises were hollow and that some leaders exploited the participants. The revelation casts a pall over the Five Days of Milan.
When:22 March 1848 Where:Milan
- 11
The revolution is revealed as a lie
Cainazzo comes to understand that the rebellion’s apparent patriotism was manipulated by those in power. The film emphasizes the personal costs of such manipulation, from betrayal to loss. The idea that the Five Days was a noble uprising is called into question.
When:22 March 1848 Where:Milan
- 12
Final mood: aftermath and ambiguity
The story closes with a somber mood as Milan enters an uncertain post-revolt period. Loyalties remain blurred and violence lingers, leaving viewers to reflect on the cost of civil upheaval. The film’s tone blends tragedy with a critique of the way revolutions unfold.
When:22 March 1848 Where:Milan
Who Are the Main Characters in The Five Days?
6 characters, among them Meo Cainazzo (Adriano Celentano), Romolo Marcelli (Enzo Cerusico) and Zampino (Glauco Onorato): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- MC
Meo Cainazzo (Adriano Celentano)
Played by Adriano Celentano
A petty criminal who escapes prison during the bombardment and hunts for his gang leader. His misadventures reveal a cynical pragmatism amid upheaval, and his loyalties are tested as he uncovers a possible alliance with the Austrians. The arc moves from comic luck to harsh realization, exposing the fragility of personal convictions in a revolution.
- 🕵️♂️ Criminal
- 🧭 Disillusioned
- 🩸 Fatalist
- RM
Romolo Marcelli (Enzo Cerusico)
Played by Enzo Cerusico
A good-natured Roman baker who travels to Milan to help his uncle. He befriends Meo and participates in acts of courage, from erecting barricades to defending a pregnant woman. He is ultimately shot, underscoring the human cost of political upheaval.
- 🤝 Friendly
- 🥖 Baker
- 💔 Sacrificed
- Z(
Zampino (Glauco Onorato)
Played by Glauco Onorato
Meo's gang leader who becomes entangled in the revolution's drama. He appears loyal to the cause but is revealed to have worked with the Austrians, betraying the movement. His arc exposes how ambition and opportunism exploit upheaval for personal ends.
- 🗡️ Gang leader
- 🧭 Betrayal
- 🩸 Tragedy
- BT
Baron Tranzunto (Sergio Graziani)
Played by Sergio Graziani
An ambitious aristocrat who recruits locals into a brigade, using patriotic rhetoric to fuel his own power plays. He embodies manipulation and cruelty that accompany revolts, contributing to the violence that consumes the vulnerable.
- 🗡️ Manipulative
- 💼 Aristocrat
- ⚔️ Violent
- TC
The Countess (Marilù Tolo)
Played by Marilù Tolo
A wealthy aristocrat whose furniture is pressed into service to build barricades. She embodies the era's glamour amid chaos and illustrates how upheaval touches even the privileged, mixing opulence with urgency.
- 👑 Aristocrat
- 🪑 Barricade material
- 🎭 Glamour and chaos
- TW
The Widow (Carla Tatò)
Played by Carla Tatò
A woman caught in the tangled loyalties of war and romance, whose life becomes entangled in accusations of collaboration during a tense moment of upheaval. Her presence emphasizes the personal stakes and moral ambiguities that arise when rebellion collides with desire and betrayal.
- ⚖️ Accusation
- 💔 Vulnerable
- 🕊️ Resilience
Where and When Is The Five Days Set?
The Five Days is set in Milan and Italy (1848). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1848
The events unfold during the Five Days of Milan (18-22 March 1848), a period of intense urban revolt against Austrian rule. The era is marked by rapid shifts in fortune, street battles, and the spectacle of patriotism used as a political weapon. Amid the chaos, civilians and minor players are pulled into the momentum of the uprising, with fear and courage coexisting on the same streets.
Where
Milan, Italy
Milan serves as the backdrop for the Five Days uprising, with barricades rising in the city streets as violence flares between revolutionaries and Austrian forces. The urban landscape becomes a character in its own right, shaping the choices and fates of ordinary people drawn into the conflict. The film juxtaposes busy markets and everyday life with sudden bursts of fighting and reprisals, highlighting the city's volatile mood in 1848.
- 🏛️ Milan
- 🗺️ 19th century
- 🏙️ Urban center
What Are the Themes of The Five Days?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Revolution, Friendship and Truth vs Lie.
-
01
Revolution
The Five Days frames a city-wide upheaval where barricades symbolize collective action and hope. Yet the narrative shows how revolutionary fervor can be manipulated by ambitious individuals for personal gain. The film blends humor with tragedy to question the purity of political ideals and expose the costs of war.
-
02
Friendship
Meo and Romolo form an unlikely alliance that anchors the story in human connection amid chaos. Their acts of kindness—helping others, sharing resources, and standing up to danger—offer a respite from violence. The friendship is tested by the broader political games, revealing both resilience and vulnerability.
-
03
Truth vs Lie
The revolution's rhetoric collides with hidden loyalties as betrayals come to light. Cainazzo discovers Zampino's collaboration with the Austrians, unraveling the myth of a pure popular uprising. The film uses satire and tragedy to explore how personal motives shape historical events and erode collective trust.
What Kind of Film Is The Five Days?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Sad
A tragicomic journey through a chaotic revolution that mixes dark humor with brutal reality, leading to a sobering conclusion about betrayal and the futility of war.
- chaotic
- satirical
- disillusioned
- tragicomic
- somber
- historical
- political revolution
- friendship
- corruption
- class conflict
Content notes: war violence, sexual assault, execution, political violence.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Five Days? Test yourself on the story.
