In this new film by Carlos Saura,Fernando Rey plays the part of an ageing father, a recluse living amonng his books in the Castilian countryside,and Geraldine Chaplin plays his daughter, Elisa. She comes to staywith her father after she discovered that her husband was having an affair with her best friend, and their marriage has broken up.

Her father is writing a book, which appears to be written from Elisa's viewpoint, so that we see an imagined scene of the death of the father through her eyes. He also relates the story of the time when he found the body of a murdered woman near his house, which Elisa imagines to be herself In flashbacks, Chaplin plays the role of Elisa's mother, which includes love scenes with Rey. Finally, the father dies and the daughter takes over writing the book.