A mystery thriller set in a decaying Portuguese estate where a landowner's disappearance and the deaths of his wife and servant create a web of secrets and betrayals.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Decadent Estate
Introduction to the landowner's luxurious lifestyle and strained relationships at the Laguna estate.
Key Events
The Dauphin's Decadent Life — Landowner enjoys luxury while wife remains barren Characters: Palma Bravo, Maria das Mercês, DomingosLocation: Laguna Estate
Sportsman's Arrival — Annual duck-hunting excursion begins Characters: Palma Bravo, Maria das Mercês, DomingosLocation: Laguna Estate
The Mysterious Deaths
Discovery of the landowner's wife and servant dead, with the landowner himself missing.
Key Events
Sportsman's Arrival — Annual duck-hunting excursion begins Characters: Palma Bravo, Maria das Mercês, DomingosLocation: Laguna Estate
Wife's Discovery — Body of landowner's wife found floating Characters: Palma Bravo, Maria das Mercês, Domingos, AninhasLocation: Lagoon
Manservant's Death — One-armed servant found dead on master's bed Characters: Palma Bravo, Domingos, AninhasLocation: Master's Bedroom
The Disappearance — Landowner and his dog vanish mysteriously Characters: Palma Bravo, Maria das Mercês, DomingosLocation: Laguna Estate
Mysterious Barking — Strange dog sounds heard from the water Characters: Palma Bravo, Maria das MercêsLocation: Over the Lagoon
The Unraveling Mystery
Investigation into the deaths reveals secrets and hidden relationships among the estate's inhabitants.
Key Events
Mysterious Barking — Strange dog sounds heard from the water Characters: Palma Bravo, Maria das MercêsLocation: Over the Lagoon
Investigation Begins — Local authorities start investigating the deaths Characters: Padre Novo, Regedor, Cauteleiro, AninhasLocation: Laguna Estate
Secret Affairs Revealed — Landowner's extramarital relationships exposed Characters: Palma Bravo, Mulher Jovem, Maria das MercêsLocation: Local Community
Peasant Testimonies — Local villagers provide crucial information Characters: Camponesa, Dona da Pensão, RegedorLocation: Village
The Final Revelation
Confrontation at the lagoon uncovers the truth behind the murders and the landowner's disappearance.
Key Events
Peasant Testimonies — Local villagers provide crucial information Characters: Camponesa, Dona da Pensão, RegedorLocation: Village
Final Confrontation — Truth about the murders revealed Characters: Palma Bravo, Cauteleiro, Padre Novo, RegedorLocation: Lagoon
Story Breakdown
The Decadent World — Introduction to the landowner's luxurious lifestyle and the estate's inhabitants
The Landowner — Palma Bravo, enjoying decadent life with hunting and womanizing
The Barren Wife — Maria das Mercês, trapped in loveless marriage
The Loyal Servant — Domingos, one-armed manservant devoted to his master
The Mysterious Deaths — Discovery of bodies and the landowner's disappearance
The Wife's Body — Found floating in the lagoon
The Servant's Death — Found dead on the master's bed
The Vanishing Landowner — Disappearance with his guard dog
The Investigation — Uncovering secrets and hidden relationships
The Sportsman's Testimony — Narrator who discovered the bodies
Local Inhabitants' Stories — Villagers with crucial information
The Truth Revealed — Final confrontation and resolution of the mystery
The Lagoon Confrontation — Where the truth is finally revealed
The Landowner's Fate — What really happened to Palma Bravo
Justice Served — Resolution of the crimes
A wealthy landowner, "The Dauphin," enjoys a decadent life of hunting, drinking, and womanizing. He oversees his estate, the Laguna, with his barren wife, his one-armed manservant, and his treasured guard dog. When a sportsman (the film’s narrator) comes to the estate for his annual duck-hunting excursion, he discovers the body of the landowner’s wife floating in the lagoon and the manservant dead on his master’s bed. The Dauphin and his dog are nowhere to be found except for the mysterious barking sounds heard over the lagoon.
