A caustic satire of many of the 'types' found in Spanish society.

A work of Valle-Inclán, the story takes place in Galicia in the early twentieth century. To escape poverty, the wife of a sacristan uses a hydrocephalic child as a sideshow attraction. This causes a confrontation with her sister-in-law.

Osa de la Vega, Cuenca, Spain, 1913. Gregorio and León, employees on the estate of the village's mayor, a powerful landowner, are arrested and accused of the murder of José María el Cepa, a shepherd who mysteriously disappeared three years earlier.

A woman nearing her forties, Andrea Soriana, has always pushed aside personal questions and romantic relationships in pursuit of professional success. Now a major illness forces her to reconsider her life--work, family, friendships, men-- causing a psychological and emotional crisis pushes her toward a drastic decision.