Filumena Marturano, the longtime mistress of successful businessman Domenico Soriano saved her from a life of prostitution when she was still in her teens. Though happy to share a bed with her and to let her work for him, Domenico is unwilling to marry her. When she realizes that he is turning his attentions toward another woman, Filumena resorts to faking a fatal illness in order to lure him to the altar. Upon discovering the ruse, he charges her with fraud—but the resourceful Filumena is able to outsmart him yet again, using her own children’s dubious paternity as bait.