At the beginning of the 20th century, a junior resident takes an interest in a newly-arrived patient, a young Italian woman who has mysteriously developed schizophrenia. To identify the causes of her condition, he employs psychoanalytic methods to dig into her sexual past, despite objections by the old-fashioned chief physician.

Giuliana De Sio
as Emilia

Julian Sands
as Gustav

Erland Josephson
as Prof. Brokner

Milena Vukotić
as Annette

Didi Perego
as Capo infermiera

Francesca Ventura
as Mitzi

Stefano Lescovelli
as Leopold

Massimo Venturiello
as Enrico

Flaminia Lizzani
as Anna

Luisa Maneri
as Marta