[1] During the Spanish Civil War, three men are arrested and imprisoned by General Franco's troops.

Pablo is a worker and an associate of the anarchist leader Ramón, who is in hiding; Tom is an English member of the International Brigades; and Juan, still a teenager, is the innocent brother of a militant.

Given 15 minutes to say where Ramón is or be shot, he decides to buy himself time by giving an absurd answer.

He says Ramón is hiding in the cemetery, and a squad of soldiers rushes off to comb the place.

He tells Pablo the sad news: that Ramón broke cover and has just been arrested after taking refuge in a gravediggers' hut.