El Tempranillo (Francisco Rabal) returns from the Napoleonic wars with a desire to continue fighting. He turns to banditry rather than live in poverty in his native Spain. Though his wife (Lea Massari) pleads for him to change his dangerous way of life, he refuses. When she is killed, the bandit sets out for revenge. He soon meets Pedro Sanchez (Phillipe Leroy), an escaped convict who was imprisoned for his political activities. The two continue on together until El Tempranillo is offered a pardon and an estate from the king. Basing the lead character on a legendary Spanish bandit, Carlos Saura co-wrote and directed this drama early in his career. Filmed on location in Spain's Sierra Morena.