The film centers on the drunkard Colonel Carrasco, whose 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.  

El coronel Carrasco, hombre borracho y mujeriego, un oficial del ejército profiriano y huertista. El coronel maltrata a su mujer Marta, quien decide abandonarlo y llevarse consigo a Juan, hijo pequeño de ambos. Pasado algún tiempo estalla la Revolución y Juan es ya todo un hombre. Por azares del destino, el coronel, sin saberlo, ordena el fusilamiento de su propio hijo, a quien confunde con un agitador.