Li chiamarono briganti! tells the story of Carmine Crocco, a former Garibaldian disillusioned by the unification of Italy, who leads an armed revolt in the South in support of the Bourbon monarchy. Having become the leader of the peasant insurgents, Crocco faces the brutal repression of the Savoy army, commanded by General Cialdini. Betrayals, isolation, and massacres mark the failure of the rebellion.
The film offers a critical reading of the Italian Risorgimento, giving voice to the suffering of the South and to the complexity of post-unification brigandage.