A look at the life in the small village Vilaverdinho, in the North of Portugal. Oliveira made this film as a present for a friend. It has only been publicly shown once.
An outdated fireclay factory is due to close, but its long-time employees can't imagine stopping what has fed them all their lives and what they do best.
Five swindle stories, taking place in five international cities: Tokyo, Japan ("Fumiko's Five Benefactors" by Hiromichi Horikawa); Amsterdam, The Netherlands ("A River of Diamonds" by Roman Polanski); Naples, Italy ("The Road Map" by Ugo Gregoretti); Paris, France ("The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower" by Claude Chabrol); and Marrakesh, Morocco ("The Confidence Man" by Jean-Luc Godard).