A well-known wheeler dealer joins the underground opposition to avoid responsibility after stealing valuable coins. When he is released from prison, he sets up a private bank with high interest rates together with a Security Service colonel. However, the colonel has bigger ambitions.

Nino, a baker's apprentice from the kingdom of Lailonia, has a very beautiful face. He notices that wrinkles are appearing on it. He borrows money from the court and buys a trunk of immutability. He hides his beautiful face in the trunk and henceforth lives without a face. He claims that only by storing his face in the trunk of immutability can he ensure its eternal youth and immortal beauty. The neighbor demands the loan back. So Nino pawns his beautiful face in a pawnshop. He receives a sum less than he borrowed. He cannot repay the debt and is thrown in jail for many years. The owner of the pawnshop, not having lived to see Nino's return, takes his beautiful face out of his trunk and gives it to the children to play with as a ball. Only the imprisoned Nino thinks he has the most beautiful face in the world.