A biographical drama centring on the legendary Spanish bullfighter Manuel Rodríguez, known as Manolete, who rose to become one of the most celebrated matadors of the twentieth century. The film explores his passionate and turbulent romance with the actress Lupe Sino, set against the backdrop of post-Civil War Spain. As Manolete's fame grows to almost mythical proportions, the story builds towards the fateful corrida in which he received the wounds that would claim his life.