After his father dies in combat during the last months of the Spanish Civil War, young Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is brought to an isolated orphanage in 1939. The orphanage, which also serves as a school to the resident children, is home to several dozen other boys, as well as Carmen (Marisa Paredes), the world-weary headmistress with a prosthetic leg, Dr. Casares (Federico Luppi), the kind and intellectual assistant administrator, Alma (Berta Ojea), a teacher, Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), a hired hand, and Conchita (Irene Visedo), Jacinto's fiancee and an employee of the institution. Carmen, who is concerned about the expenses of caring for yet another boy, mentions the stash of gold bars she keeps in the building and how she would prefer to be rid of it, as she cannot buy anything with it in its current form, nor divulge its existence to any outsiders during this volatile wartime.A large bomb is lodged in the dirt at the center of the courtyard, having been dropped from a warplane months before. It was deactivated before it could detonate, but was impossible to pull from the ground. Carlos is befriended by two boys his age, Galvez (Adrian Lamana) and Owl (Javier Gonzalez-Sanchez), with whom he shares his toys and comic books. On his first night at the orphanage, Carlos is dared by an older boy, Jaime (Inigo Garces), to sneak to the kitchen for water after their pitcher spills in the dormitory. Carlos agrees, but dares Jaime to accompany him. As the boys cross the courtyard, Jaime whispers that he believes the bomb is still active, as he can hear its "heart" ticking within. The boys reach the kitchen, but Jaime sneaks back to the dormitory, leaving Carlos alone. Carlos hears a chilling whisper from an unknown source, which tells him eerily that "Many of you will die." Frightened, Carlos dashes outside, but is caught by Jacinto.At breakfast the next morning, Dr. Cesares demands that Carlos give up any accomplices who snuck out with him the previous night. Carlos refuses to rat Jaime out, and takes full blame. Later, Jaime confronts Carlos by the cistern under the chapel, in the presence of a few other boys. Though Jaime now holds a higher respect for Carlos, he still feels threatened by the newcomer and pulls out a knife to prove his dominance. In the ensuing scuffle, Jaime falls into the cistern. One of the boys shouts that Jaime cannot swim, and Carlos dives in to save him. Jacinto, the hired hand, appears, breaks up the ruckus, and demands to know the owner of Jaime's knife, which had fallen to the floor. Carlos once again takes the blame, and Jacinto slices Carlos' cheek as a warning before threatening him into secrecy. The boys are all shaken by the incident, but Jaime begins to trust Carlos at last.Later on, Carlos talks with Dr. Caseres, who is treating his cut. Casares shows Carlos how the bulk of the money is made for the orphanage: He sells the spiced rum that is used as a preserving fluid for aborted or stillborn fetuses. He claims that many believe it carries a power that cures many ailments, including impotence. Casares is seen drinking the liquid, suggesting that he suffers from this himself. He and Carmen, the widowed, solemn headmistress, share an unspoken mutual love, but it is insinuated that Casares is ashamed of his lack of skills as a lover. Carmen, meanwhile, is having a loveless affair with the much-younger Jacinto.It is revealed that Jacinto has been at the orphanage since he was a boy, and harbors a passionate hatred for it. He works on the property along with his fiancee Conchita, but his violent side is shown through the way he treats the boys; threatening and sometimes hurting them. Jacinto knows of the stash of gold hidden at the orphanage, and uses his sexual relationship with Carmen as an opportunity to take her keys and search the building for the loot. Carmen is deeply ashamed of fulfilling herself through Jacinto
Output: What do Casares and Carmen operate ?