August, 1943. In the Benedictine abbey's shadow a charismatic and cryptic man calling himself Pietro Houdini, rescues fourteen-year-old Massimo. When it becomes evident that Montecassino will soon become the front line in the war, Pietro Houdini and Massimo execute a plan to smuggle three priceless Titian paintings to safety. They are joined by a nurse, a café owner, a wounded German soldier, and a pair of lovers. Together they will lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill, and sin their way through battlefields to survive, all while smuggling the Renaissance masterpieces.
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