Upon learning that his mother-in-law had hidden a fortune in jewels inside one of twelve identical parlor chairs taken from her villa by revolutionary authorities, a young Cuban man sets out on a frantic treasure hunt in this classic comedy from Strawberry and Chocolate director Tomás Gutiérrez Alea. The Cuban Revolution has swept through the land, and now the property of the rich is about to become nationalized. Despite a decree by the government stating that citizens are to allow revolutionary authorities full access to their possessions, not everyone is willing to turn over their valuables so easily. When a wealthy but elderly woman awaiting death confides to her son-in-law Hipólito that she has stashed her most valuable gems inside a typical parlor char that had been confiscated by revolutionary authorities, the anxious young man makes it his mission to locate the chair and extract the precious stones. But Hipólito isn't the only one who knows about the hidden jewels, and in order to claim the prize he'll be forced to outwit a series of worthy adversaries.
~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide