Colonel Carrasco's wife Marta leaves him taking his young son. The child, Juan, grows into an admirable and well-mannered young man. Having been promoted to a higher rank of power amidst the Mexican Revolution, the indulgent and corrupt Colonel accepts a bribe to free a revolutionary, Felipe Martinez, from his prison. Martinez has been sentenced to execution at the hands of a firing squad. Carrasco asks to have the revolutionary replaced by absolutely anyone. In a twist of fate, that anyone turns out to be his own long lost son Juan. Upon receiving this news, Marta races to the prison and explains the predicament to Carrasco. He subsequently desperately attempts to prevent the gunning down of his son by his very own government officials.

In the midst of the Mexican Revolution, the landowner Mendoza manages to get along with both the government and the revolutionary group. For the former, he is a supporter of Huerta. For the latter, he is a Zapata supporter. Depending on the political preference of whoever visits him at his hacienda, he has portraits of Huerta or Zapata put up, and organizes a party in honor of his visitors. However, time goes by and the situation becomes untenable. For whom will he take sides?

Santa is a beautiful and very humble young girl living in Chimalistac, a small and quiet spot south of the 1930's Mexico City. After Santa is cheated by arrogant soldier Marcelino, she's rejected by her family and friends and expelled of Chimalistac. Santa finds shelter in a whorehouse and becomes a cinic and bitter woman, mistreated by bullfighter "Jarameno" and silently loved by blind pianist Hipólito.

In times of the French Intervention, a student of Nunó, author of the Mexican National Anthem, falls in love with the niece of the French Ambassador, which causes quite amusing complications.

A 1941 film.

A 1933 film.

A 1933 film.

Wealthy young gentleman falls in love with a cabaret girl of no breeding; he overcomes his prejudices and accepts her in spite of her past... will she live up to his expectations of her?