Plot
The film opens in the Tuscan countryside. Mario (a janitor) and his friend, Saverio (a teacher) are stopped at a level crossing, waiting for the train to pass. The two friends trust each other. Among other things, Saverio is worried about his sister Gabriella, who fell into depression for the failure of her relationship with an American boy. The wait continues, and they eventually decide to travel a road in the fields. After a while they are stuck with their car in the middle of the countryside. When evening comes, it begins to rain. The two find accommodation in an inn for the night, in a room that already hosts another person.
The next morning as soon as they wake up they see, having fun, the guest urinating from the window, but their laughter are immediately truncated by the hiss of a spear that kills him. Mario and Saverio see fonding people in the black cloak on horseback, rush to the ground floor and find other people, dressed in a very strange way. Increducts make themselves be said by a man where they find themselves and discover that they are fried, an imaginary Tuscan village, in 1492. considering it first a terrible joke, they must resign themselves to the harsh reality making themselves hosting from Vitellozzo, the brother of the killed man, Remigio, who tells them of a terrible feud with such a Giuliano del Capecchio, who is exterminating his family. Once in the village they know Parisina, a mother of Vitellozzo and the late Remigio and begin to work in their slaughter shop.
In the Renaissance context of the village, the most disparate episodes happen. Saverio immediately seems comfortable, while Mario does not want to settle down; Soon, however, during a religious function, Mario makes the acquaintance of Pia, a girl of a rich family, with whom he begins to see himself looking out from the surrounding wall of her house. In the meantime, Vitellozzo is arrested and Saverio and Mario write a letter to Girolamo Savonarola, in vain, to obtain his liberation.
Saverio (who continues to tell Mario to ask Pia if he has an friend to introduce him) does not hide a certain annoyance for the meetings between Mario and the young Pia and complains that he always remains and only him to work in the butcher shop. Driven by his political-intellectual ardor, he convinces his friend to travel to Spain, in order to reach Christopher Columbus and dissuade him from leaving for the Indies and discovering America, so that, in the future, his sister cannot meet the American boy who left her. In an unspecified place the two come across a beautiful amazon, Astriaha, which intimidates them by throwing an arrow against their wagon.
At this point the story differs depending on the version, standard or extended.
Standard version
In France, Mario and Saverio come across Leonardo da Vinci. Driven by an unstoppable enthusiasm, they try to propose the knowledge of modern inventions such as the train, the thermometer, electricity and traffic lights; as Leonardo seemingly struggles to understand their confused descriptions, the two must reduce themselves to explain him the game of the broom.
In a tavern the two meet Astriaha, who tells them that the task of her was to prevent the arrival in Spain of any foreigner, to guarantee the departure of Colombus' ships. At these words they rush to the Spanish coast, without seeing the three caravels at all.
The two try to return to Italy and with amazement they see the smoke of a locomotive. Convinced that they have returned to the 20th century, they reluctantly discover that the driver is Leonardo, who treasured their teachings and, seeing their disappointment, reassures them on the proceeds of the deal to be divided into equal parts.
Extended version
In the extended version, the meeting with Leonardo is anticipated to make the events that concern Astriaha.
The girl says that because of them she has not slept and has not eaten for three days and order them to return to their boss, Alonso. Mario and Saverio do not know who Alonso is and try to clear themselves. As the girl passes out, Saverio helps her and he immediately falls in love with her. Recovered, Astriaha forces the two to follow her to their father. Saverio continually courts her, but she does not seem to correspond. One night she reaches Mario in a stable and they make love. Saverio sees them and the next morning, desperate, he decides to take revenge. While Mario rests near a river, Saverio speaks to Astriaha and confides that Mario is actually a man from Alonso.
The woman, disdained, runs away. Mario gets angry, the two fight, beat each other, chase each other until they reach a beach. Together they call the name of Columbus at the top of the lift, but they discover that the three caravels have already started. Disconsolated, Saverio reveals to Mario the real reason why he wanted to stop the navigator: his sister has fallen in love with an American soldier at the NATO base in Pisa, whom he consider an imbecile. If he could prevent Columbus from discovering America, he would also prevent his sister's relationship.
The two versions join in the scene of the beach race.
