On the eve of World War I, a group of European aristocrats and artists embarked on a voyage to escort the ashes of a famous opera actress who had just died back to the island where she was born. Unexpectedly, when the war broke out on the way, a group of refugees poured into the ship, forming a sharp class contrast in the enclosed space. Fellini incarnates as an enthusiastic journalist played by Freddy Jones, introducing the audience to all kinds of life on board, including some sharp observations of human nature, exposing the artist's hypocritical face.