Senza mamma e'nnamurato

In the early morning, Pasquale, the owner of an Italian restaurant who has made a good deal of money in the thirty years he has worked hard in America, prepares for a large party. His fish dealer, Biasiello, arrives and as they chat, he repeats the popular dictum that men chase after Pasquale's daughter Annarella because of the restaurant owner's money. Pasquale castigates some of his staff for their tardiness, and soon Ciccillo, who is to get married, arrives with two carloads of friends and family. As his bride-to-be, Maria, has not yet arrived, the guests wait. A boat then pulls up with the rest of the party, Maria, her mother Matalena, and Rafiluccio, a friend of Ciccillo's, who rows. A number of the guests sing songs, including Rafiluccio, who sings in the Neapolitan style. As he sings, Maria comments that Ciccillo looks strange and sad. Rafiluccio teases Maria, convincing her to sing, and then insists she drink some wine. Unable to control his anger, Ciccillo accuses Rafi of flirting and calls Maria shameless. Rafi castigates Ciccillo, insisting that he loves Maria as a sister, as they have been brought up together. Ciccillo yells at Matalena to take her daughter home, adding that the brazen girl is more at home in Rafi's arms than in his own. Annarella is quietly pleased at the emotional scene, as she loves Ciccillo. After the gathering breaks up, Annarella and Ciccillo take a romantic boat ride together. At home, as Maria sobs, Matalena insists that Ciccillo accused her of loving Rafi so that he could break his promise to marry her and throw himself into Annarella's arms. Although Matalena believes that someone else will come along for her daughter, she faints when she learns from the stricken girl that she is no longer a virgin. Maria collapses in moans. Sometime later, while Matalena is still ill from the shock, Maria arrives home from her factory job and announces that she's been dismissed as there is no more work. At night, Maria comes home late and drops on her bed in sobs, then refuses to answer her mother's inquiries. During the wedding of Ciccillo and Annarella, Maria listens to the festivities from her window in anger and sadness. Matalena dies in Maria's arms while the dancing and the music at the wedding continue. Sometime after Maria prays beside her mother's tomb, a headline in Il Progresso Italo-Americano announces Maria's pitiful suicide.