A comedic tale of a clumsy man's rise to fame and tragic downfall through bullfighting and romantic deception.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Bullring Aspiration
Rhubarb and Sapo seek matador jobs after a clumsy flour delivery. Rhubarb achieves unexpected success by throwing bulls over the gate, earning crowd adoration.
Key Events
Flour Delivery & Laughter — Rhubarb and Sapo return dragging flour, sharing a laugh. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, SapoLocation: Village Path
Bullring Queue & Failures — Volunteers are defeated; Rhubarb steps up to avenge Sapo. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, SapoLocation: Bullring Entrance
Don Vaseline's Entrance — Rhubarb announces himself as Don Vaseline to enter the ring. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Bullring Arena
Bulls Thrown Over Gate — Rhubarb successfully throws two bulls over the gate. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Bullring Arena
Third Bull & Erasure — Rhubarb is thrown, erases his third score, and re-enters triumphantly. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Bullring Arena
Street Parade & Caramel — Crowd carries Rhubarb; he reunites with Caramel and receives a rose. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Caramel, CaramelLocation: Village Streets
Romantic Pursuit
Rhubarb reunites with Caramel, wins his mother's approval with prize money, and proposes marriage. He travels to Madrid where his fame grows.
Key Events
Street Parade & Caramel — Crowd carries Rhubarb; he reunites with Caramel and receives a rose. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Caramel, CaramelLocation: Village Streets
Homecoming & Goat Butt — Goat butts Rhubarb over the rose; mother chases him with a broom. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Rhubarb's Home
Madrid Invitation — Mother sees the money, stops crying, and invites him to Madrid. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Rhubarb's Home
Serenade & Broken Trellis — Rhubarb serenades Caramel; trellis breaks during his climb. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, CaramelLocation: Caramel's Window
Stirrup Lift & Proposal — Sapo lifts Rhubarb; he proposes marriage at sunrise. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Caramel, SapoLocation: Caramel's Balcony
Cafe Espagnol Deception
Rhubarb dances at the cafe, faces sabotage from rivals, and confronts Filet de Sole's betrayal. He prepares for a deadly bullfight with comedic styling.
Key Events
Stirrup Lift & Proposal — Sapo lifts Rhubarb; he proposes marriage at sunrise. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Caramel, SapoLocation: Caramel's Balcony
Madrid Horse Ride — Rhubarb rides through cheering crowds but falls when rearing the horse. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Madrid Streets
Cafe Espagnol Tango — Rhubarb dances with Pavaloosky; Filet de Sole watches with interest. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Filet de Sole, PavalooskyLocation: Cafe Espagnol
Sabotage & Fountain Drop — Rivals sabotage Rhubarb; he drops Pavaloosky in the fountain. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Filet de Sole, PavalooskyLocation: Cafe Espagnol
Apartment Confrontation — Caramel and mother arrive; Filet de Sole demeans Rhubarb as her slave. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Filet de Sole, CaramelLocation: Filet de Sole's Apartment
Ether Betrayal & Sand Burial
Rival matadors drug the bull and Rhubarb with ether. Filet de Sole kills Rhubarb with a brick, and attendants bury him in sand as the moral appears.
Key Events
Apartment Confrontation — Caramel and mother arrive; Filet de Sole demeans Rhubarb as her slave. Characters: Rhubarb Vaselino, Filet de Sole, CaramelLocation: Filet de Sole's Apartment
Vaseline Hair Styling — Rhubarb styles his hair with vaseline; lightning creates a Z-pattern. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Pre-Fight Screen
Wrong Door Escape — Rhubarb falls through the wrong door; a bull escapes into the street. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Arena Corridor
Arena Entrance & Adoration — Rhubarb enters to cheers; the docile bull ignores him. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Bullring Arena
Ether Cloak Soaking — Rivals soak Rhubarb's cloak in ether at Filet de Sole's command. Characters: Filet de Sole, Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Arena Sidelines
Sleeping Bull & Drowsy Rhubarb — Ether makes the bull sleep and Rhubarb stagger drowsily. Characters: Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Bullring Arena
Brick Execution — Filet de Sole throws a brick, killing Rhubarb mid-celebration. Characters: Filet de Sole, Rhubarb VaselinoLocation: Bullring Arena
Sand Burial & Moral — Attendants pour sand over Rhubarb; the film displays its moral.
Location: Bullring Arena
Story Breakdown
Bullring Aspiration — Rhubarb and Sapo seek matador jobs and Rhubarb achieves unexpected success.
Flour Delivery — Comedic return with heavy sack
Matador Queue — Volunteers fail repeatedly
Unexpected Victory — Rhubarb throws bulls over gate
Romantic Pursuit — Rhubarb courts Caramel and secures family approval for Madrid.
Rose Gift — Painted rose causes goat butt
Serenade Attempt — Broken trellis and stirrup lift
Marriage Proposal — Empty box and sunrise promise
Madrid Fame — Rhubarb's celebrity grows but faces physical comedy setbacks.
Horse Ride — Crowd cheers but horse falls
Cafe Tango — Dances with Pavaloosky
Rival Sabotage — Slip attempt and fountain drop
Deceptive Alliance — Filet de Sole manipulates Rhubarb while conspiring with rivals.
Filet de Sole Flirtation — Superficial interest in dancing
Apartment Confrontation — Mother arrives and slave insult
Ether Conspiracy — De Sole funds rival plot
Final Bullfight — Rhubarb prepares comically and enters the arena for a deadly match.
Vaseline Preparations — Hair styling and lollipop gift
Wrong Door Escape — Falls through corridor door
Arena Entrance — Crowd adores docile bull
Ether Betrayal — The drugged cloak backfires, leading to Rhubarb's execution.
Cloak Soaking — Rivals apply ether to cloak
Sleeping Bull — Ether calms bull and Rhubarb
Brick Execution — Filet de Sole kills Rhubarb
Sand Burial & Moral — Attendants bury Rhubarb in sand as the film delivers its lesson.
Sand Pouring — Attendants cover Rhubarb
Final Message — Moral about avoiding bulls
Rhubarb Vaselino lives in a small village, when he and his friend, Sapo, enter a bullfighting contest, Sapo dies, but Rhubarb kills three bulls and becomes a local hero earning money. Two years later, he is living in Madrid as a national hero , when he becomes involved with Filet de Sol, and his lover finds out, he must fight the most deadliest in Spain, in the last bull fight of the season.
