Amadeo es un viejo verdugo a punto de jubilarse. Un patronato de viviendas le concede un piso donde podrá vivir con su hija Carmen, que acaba de casarse con José Luis, empleado en una funeraria. La concesión de la vivienda está condicionada al empleo de verdugo, por lo que Amadeo tendrá que convencer a José Luis para que herede «su profesión». José Luis acepta con la condición de dimitir si se ve obligado a «ejercer». La vida transcurre tranquila hasta que un día llega el aviso de que José Luis debe ajusticiar a un condenado a muerte. Amadeo tranquiliza a su yerno convenciéndole de que al final llegará el indulto.
Amadeo is an old executioner who is about to retire. He’s offered a flat in a housing project where he can live with his daughter Carmen, recently married to José Luis, who works in a funeral parlor. The concession of the flat is conditioned to the position of executioner, so Amadeo has to convince José Luis to inherit ‘his profession.’ José Luis accepts on the condition that he will resign if he ever has to execute anyone. Life goes on until one day José Luis receives a notice informing him that a death penalty has been sentenced. Amadeo calms his son-in-law by telling him the prisoner will be pardoned in the end.