The fictional town of Villa Romero is the set upon which the events of Spain's civil war play out. Villa Romero is home to Vandale (Mariangela Melato) a witch, count Cerralbo (Bento Urago) a powerless land baron, and his four sons. Three of Cerralbo's sons are ruthless sadists who pillage the countryside, but the fourth, Goya (Ron Faber), is an artist challenging authority and the church.