The troubled story of the Churruca family, a noble lineage of brave seamen, descendants of Cosme Damián Churruca, the Spanish hero of the Battle of Trafalgar; from the Spanish-American War (1898) to the end of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). (In 1950, a new cut of the film was released with less ideological depth and ten minutes shorter.)

Beliche, a naive postman, suffers from depression because he has almost no letters to deliver. The neighbors to whom Beliche takes their correspondence decide then to launch a plan to receive many more.

King Charles V sent his confidant, Don Fernando,from France to the Spanish Court carrying an important documentation. However, the frigate where he travels is sunk by the British and all the sailors perish. Don Fernando manages to save his life reaching the island of Menorca where he is helped by a humble fisherman