本片根据墨西哥已故著名女作家罗萨里奥·卡斯特亚诺斯(1925-1974) 的同名小说改编. 是70-80年代新墨西哥电影的代表作之一. Set in 1934, and meant to dramatize social injustices, this melodrama examines an official's attempt at land reform. The landowners are against any reform and are also not interested in ending the exploitation of their workers. On the opposite side of the fence, the Native Americans have almost no way to better their living conditions or to fight oppression. They are also plagued by "superstition," which leads to some misguided actions that only make things worse. Violence and sexual encounters are interspersed throughout the story.