In Eduardo De Filippo's classic Neapolitan tale, Filumena, a former prostitute, has been living with with shopkeeper Domenico for twenty-five years. Domenico would like to marry the young Diana, but Filumena feigns mortal illness to convince Domenico to marry her in extremis, which he does. When he finds out he's been duped, he has the marriage annulled. But Filumena will not give up. She's determined to make a family and reveals that she has three sons, one of whom is Domenico's, but she will not tell him which one. Eventually he concedes to her wishes and remarries her, accepting all three sons as his own.