In Spain of the 1960s, a poor family of quinquis - a nomadic ethnic group with a tradition as old as that of the gypsises of Spain but with even more obscure origins - have a nomadic life marked by poverty. The son, Eleuterio Sánchez Rodriguez, nicknamed "El Lute", steals some chickens and is condemned to six months in jail. El Lute moves to the slum outskirts of Madrid with his common law wife, Chelo, starting an itinerant life as a peddler of pots and pans and living in a quinqui shantytown. He gradually embarks upon as life of petty criminality, eventually participating in the theft of a jewelry store during which a bystander is killed.
Rocio and Raphael are a young couple from a small Spanish town. Rocio must mourn the death of a relative for six months and is forbidden to see Raphael. Very much in love, they are frustrated by the old-fashioned customs of their village. When they can finally see each other, the two plan to soon marry. Unfortunately, the girl's grandfather dies and she must start the process of mourning all over again. This time Raphael begs her to rebel against her family and the villagers, but she refuses for fear of persecution. When Rocio has had enough of putting her own happiness aside, she decides to run away with Raphael in spite of what her family will say. Things do not go as planned, however, when yet another family member passes away.