Ciccio and Franco flee Naples because they are wrongly accused of having murdered a local camorra boss and enlist in the Foreign Legion. They are inept but are mistaken for brave people by their commander and sent to break a weapon smuggling ring.

A commander in the Foreign Legion romances a mysterious and exotic princess.

Sgt. Mike Kincaid of the French Foreign Legion learns, from a Riff prisoner, that an attack will soon be made by the villainous Hussin on the Legion's outpost of Tarfa. Kincaid volunteers to lead nine other Legionnaires on a mission to delay Hussin's attack till reinforcements arrive. When he discovers that Hussin plans to marry Mahla, a girl from a rival tribe, in order to build a coalition against the French, Kincaid kidnaps Mahla. Hussin forcefully takes her back, but by now his planned attack on Tarfa is crumbling and Mahla has begun to fall in love with Kincaid.