It was also selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 30th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

A group of bored middle-aged friends decides to play a trick on Isabel: Juan, the youngest and most handsome of them all, will pretend to fall in love with her.

When the day of the gala dance at the town's club arrives, Isabel is still living her dream of love.

Similarities between Calle Mayor story and environment and Federico Fellini's I Vitelloni have been pointed out.

The name of the role played by Yves Massard was Bardem's homage to "Federico Sánchez", a pseudonym under which Jorge Semprún managed the clandestine activities of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE).