Los que volvieron

On a Condor flight between Mexico City and Buenos Aires, pilots Roberto Beltrán and Carlos Cervantes have a varied passenger list: Vázquez, a killer bank robber being returned to Argentina by police detective Ibáñez; Professor Enrique and Marta Ortos, an old married couple; rich, young businessman Jorge Mancera and his fiancée, Margarita Teyes, who are en route to meet his father in Venezuela; a young boy, Pibe Ansovenal, being escorted by Pedro, an employee of his rich father; and an adventuress, Lucy Alcázar. After a brief stop in Guatemala, the flight continues. While Pibe is asleep, a news report on the cabin radio announces that his father has been killed in a freak accident during a polo game in Mexico City. Marta, who has reared a son of her own, offers to help Pedro with the child. When the plane flies into a terrible storm, losing radio contact, part of the cargo breaks loose and bursts open a door. Paco, the steward, falls out of the plane through the door. At gunpoint, the cowardly Ibáñez then tries to persuade the pilots to turn back, but his gun is knocked out of his hand and falls into Vázquez' possession. Now far off their course and without one of the engines, Roberto and Carlos are forced to crash land in the jungle at night. The next day, Enrique, a botanist, informs them that he thinks they are probably east of the Andes and close to the Amazon, as he has recognized various types of vegetation unique to that area. While the pilots try to repair the plane, the others organize a camp and assume certain duties. Although the radio equipment cannot transmit, it does receive and they hear the news that search planes are looking for them, but they realize the planes are doubtlessly in the wrong area. Vázquez surrenders his gun to the pilots and eventually all go to work to make the plane serviceable again. Lucy learns that Roberto has been jilted recently and becomes more interested in him. For most of the passengers, the crash has afforded them the opportunity to reevaluate their lives. Later, a rain storm enables them to extricate the plane from the tangled undergrowth. Jorge and Ibáñez then get into a fistfight over liquor, of which they are both too fond. On the day that the motors are finally repaired and tested, both Ibáñez and Pibe disappear. Pedro and Lucy find Pibe safe but nearby is the body of Ibáñez, apparently the victim of a fall or of natives who are announcing their presence by drumming. Later, Pedro is killed by the natives' arrows. Margarita, disillusioned by Jorge's behavior, tells him that she no longer wants to marry him. With everyone on board, Roberto and Carlos attempt to take off, but fail. They determine that excess weight is the major problem and, in order to clear the nearby mountains, the plane will have to be as light as possible and therefore only four adults and the boy will be able to leave. Carlos volunteers to remain, leaving the flying to Roberto, and Lucy says that she will stay. However, Vázquez recovers the gun from Roberto and declares that he will decide who will leave. When Enrique tells Vázquez that he and Marta would like to remain behind, Vázquez states that if there were more men like Enrique there would be fewer men like him. For his part, Roberto tells Lucy that he hopes that she will be among those chosen to leave so that she can take care of Pibe, while Jorge offers Vázquez a large sum of money to choose him. Finally, the plane is ready and Vázquez makes his selection: Pibe, Roberto, Margarita and Carlos, who have fallen in love, and Lucy are to leave, and Vázquez, Jorge, Enrique and Marta will remain. The drums start up again as the natives draw closer, and when Jorge tries to attack him, Vázquez shoots him. After the plane takes off successfully, Enrique asks Vázquez to shoot him and Marta before the natives can get them. Vázquez agrees, telling them that he has three bullets left, one for each of them. Vázquez actually only has two bullets, and as the plane disappears safely into the clouds, he kills Enrique and Marta and awaits the arrival of the natives.