This literary film is imbued with the disenchantment of Spanish exiles who left their homes to protest Franco's fascist regime and then returned after its demise to find that democracy had not instilled either ethics or deep motivation in government leaders. Director Basilio Martin Patino presents his story, and a large part of the film is based on his own life, through the experiences of an exiled heroine played by Charo Lopez. She has returned to Spain to look for meaning in her life, something that she never found living in Germany, not even after having a child. She is also in the process of translating the German lyric poet Friederich Holderlin (see the 1985 Halfte Des Lebens) into Spanish, focusing on his epic Hyperion. Excerpts from the translation are voiced over throughout the film. As she looks up old friends from many, many years ago, even those who have achieved worldly success are suffering from the same ennui that propelled her back home.

Vicente and Margarita are a traditional and middle class married couple whose life is surrounded by a sea of confusion and uncertainty when their children begin to make their own decisions. They have discovered love and will not let their parents tell them what to do or who they have to love. The principles and traditions of the family will be replaced by each of the young people who will represent the different social problems of the time. Thus, the coexistence between them will change without Vicente and Marga can do anything to avoid it.