José Luis, played by Italian star Nino Manfredi, is a young undertaker whose personal ambitions have to take a back seat when his path crosses that of an ageing executioner. José Luis might remedy his lack of a wife by marrying the executioner’s daughter, but the marriage comes with very specific expectations from his new father-in-law. As their lives become increasingly intertwined the young man’s ability to make decisions about the direction of his own life seem to slip away. Marked by a taboo-busting black humour typical of Berlanga’s collaborations with screenwriter Rafael Azcona, this is frequently cited as one of the best and most influential Spanish films of all time.