1937, Spain is in the midst of the brutal Spanish Civil War. A "happy" circus clown is interrupted mid-performance and forcibly recruited by a militia. Fast forward to 1973. Javier, the son of the clown, dreams of following in his father’s career footsteps, but has seen too much tragedy in his life – he is only equipped to play the role of the sad clown. He finds work in a circus where he must take the abuse of the brutish happy clown Sergio. Javier meets Natalia, a gorgeous acrobat, and abused wife of Sergio. Javier falls deeply in love with Natalia and tries to rescue her from her cruel and violent husband. But Natalia is torn between her affection towards Javier and her lust for Sergio.
In Iglesia’s unforgettable film, this twisted love triangle evolves into a ferocious battle between sad clown and happy clown.
