Juan is the handsome irresponsible best-loved second son. When his older brother who runs the family's black-market business with their steel-willed mother marries Juan's lover Ana Juan heads for Madrid to work for Franco. Juan also leaves behind his impoverished cousin Ángela pregnant with his son. Jump ten years. Juanito the lad has rheumatic fever. The doctor says to pamper the boy. Ángela Ana and his grandmother comply. As Juanito recovers his father returns in desperate need of cash; Juanito witnesses a theft blamed on his innocent mother. Things come to a head at a saint's-name party for father and son. Jealousies betrayals and a bullet converge.