In this whimsical Italian comedy, a college professor sees the potential in ordinary people to accomplish great things and believes that they could use a little encouragement. He encourages them by giving them certificates (patents) of nobility. After he observes a young lady whose qualities he believes could benefit from this treatment, his lofty expectations result in a noticeable improvement in her behavior. At the same time, he is put into jail for fraudulently giving out these patents of nobility.~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide