He and his daughter trick José Luis into accepting the role of executioner to keep the housing, assuring him that he won't have to kill anybody.

When an order arrives for an execution in Mallorca, José Luis is horrified and wants to resign, but this would mean losing the flat and returning the salary he has earned.

The final scene is inspired by the execution of Pilar Prades Expósito, carried out by the executioner Antonio López Sierra.

Curiously, years after, José Monero also accepted the role of executioner, convinced that he wouldn't have to act, and wanted to resign when he was required for the execution of Heinz Ches, which he eventually carried out.

[1] At that moment, Francoist Spain was under international pressure because of the death sentence for the Communist leader Julián Grimau.