Così è la vita

In Naples, wealthy Isabella and Don Fortunado Albano are the proud parents of a new baby girl, Immacolata. When Count Armando, Fortunado's best friend, whom Isabella mistrusts, arranges to send Fortunado away to America on business, much to Isabella's chagrin, he promises to care for Fortunado's wife and young daughter. True to his word, he visits regularly and insists that Isabella join him for an evening of dancing and music. Isabella languishes at the news that her husband will be gone for another year, and she agrees to go out on the town. Armando convinces her to drink champagne and then kisses her. Later, Isabella confesses to Carmela Parisi, the gardener Nicola's wife, how distressed she feels at her husband's absence, and she convinces Carmela to come away with her to the family's country villa. Fortunado returns home unexpectedly and demands that Nicola take him to his wife. When he arrives, Isabella is ill, no longer wanting to live, and she eventually dies. Years later, Immacolata, now a beautiful young girl, receives her education in a convent. Fortunado arrives one day to take her home, and Immacolata and Salvatore, the son of Nicola and Carmela, enjoy a happy reunion, pledging never to be separated again. On Immacolata's twentieth birthday, her father plans a party and invites Count Alfredo Spadaro, a gentleman interested in marrying the girl. Fortunado and the count interrupt Immacolata and Salvatore, but Fortunado believes that she is only ordering flowers from the gardener's son. At the feast, Carmela and Nicola dance the Tarantella. Spadaro proposes to Immacolata, and the next day, Salvatore tells his mother that he hates Spadaro because the man loves Immacolata. Carmela scolds her son, reminding him of his poverty and the impossibility of a union with Fortunado's daughter. Meanwhile, Fortunado urges his daughter to accept the count's proposal. She tells him about her love for Salvatore, and Fortunado sends the boy away, reminding him of the importance of knowing one's place in the world. Angered and jealous, Salvatore approaches Immacolata and Spadaro sitting in his car with a gun in his hand. A short time later, the count stands trial for the murder of Salvatore. The count claims to have killed Salvatore in self-defense, but Immacolata contradicts him and says she hopes to be reunited with Salvatore in heaven. When Carmela testifies, she asks to speak privately with the judge and Immacolata, and confesses that Salvatore was not her son but was Isabella's illegitimate baby, to whom she gave birth at the villa before she died. Carmela raised the baby as her own, after promising to keep Isabella's secret forever. Immacolata returns to her father and tells him nothing of Carmela's story. The charges are dropped against the count for lack of evidence, and Immacolata resigns herself to be an obedient and dutiful wife. A Catholic marriage ceremony ensues.