Plot

An undertaker marries an old executioner's daughter and must continue his father-in-law's profession after his retirement, although he doesn't like it.

An old executioner in early-1960s Spain, who is a very gentle, nice, caring man proud of traditions, is approaching retirement age. As his profession isn't the most popular, he worries about who might take his place. He worries about his daughter too; she seems doomed to spinsterhood because as soon as any prospective groom learns what her father's trade is, he flees in terror. Enter the local undertaker, a handsome young man with exactly the same problem: no girl wants him given his profession. So, you have the woman whom almost nobody would marry and the man whom almost nobody would marry. Obviously, they are meant for each other. But here the old executioner has something to say: He does not object to his daughter marrying the young undertaker; he seems a decent man--but he will only agree to the marriage if the prospective groom agrees to take the executioner's job when he retires. Father tells the worried fellow: "Don't worry, they sentence people, but they pardon them at the last moment!"—Jose Beltran <[email protected]>

In the years when the death penalty was present in Spain, professional executioners exist although the profession wasn't popular. An old executioner is about to retire, and his place will be reluctantly filled by his new son-in-law, who doesn't like the idea at all, but it comes with marrying the old man's daughter and moving into their home. He tries to tell himself that executions aren't very common anyway and maybe he won't need to kill anyone.—<[email protected] >