On Christmas Eve, three friends dressed as Santa Claus are arrested in what looks like an attempted burglary and charged with being the infamous "Santa Claus Gang". While trying to prove their innocence to the police, the trio explains why they found themselves in such a strange situation...
Aspiring thespians Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo work dead-end jobs while nurturing the dream of staging their production of Cyrano de Bergerac, but love for the same lady will tear their friendship apart. Three years later, Giovanni and Giacomo reunite after learning that Aldo is dying.
Friends Aldo, Giovanni, and Giacomo travel from north to south for Giacomo's wedding: the father of the bride, a tyrannical rich man who is both their boss and father-in-law—since Aldo and Giovanni have also married into the family—has entrusted them with a costly piece of modern art, one that looks just like a rather unremarkable wooden leg.