At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul

The film begins by introducing Zé do Caixão, the local undertaker who disdains religion and emotion, emphasizing the importance of bloodline continuation. The story is set in an unnamed small Brazilian town, establishing a dark and eerie atmosphere. Zé's obsession with finding the 'perfect woman' for his progeny sets the stage for his sinister quest.

Zé learns that his wife Lenita cannot have children, fueling his obsession with finding a woman who can bear him an immortal offspring. He begins making advances toward Terezinha, who is engaged to his friend Antonio. Terezinha firmly rejects Zé's advances, reminding him of her commitment to Antonio.

During a Catholic holiday, Zé, displeased with Lenita's infertility, murders her by tying her up and having a venomous spider bite her. This act of violence remains undetected by the local authorities, and Zé continues his freedom without suspicion.

Zé and Antonio visit a local gypsy who predicts a tragic disaster will prevent Antonio and Terezinha from marrying. Zé dismisses her as a fraud, mocking the supernatural and warning her about meddling with forces beyond understanding.

Despite the gypsy's warning, Antonio confidently plans to marry Terezinha. That night, Zé murders Antonio by bludgeoning and strangling him in a bathtub. Once again, no evidence implicates Zé in the crime, showcasing his cunning.

Zé coerces Terezinha into accepting a canary as a gift, then violently assaults her when she resists. Terezinha curses Zé, threatening to take her own life and bring his soul to hell. Remarkably, her suicide note does not blame him.

Terezinha is found hanging in her home, and her death raises suspicions. Dr. Rodolfo, the village physician, begins to suspect Zé of being behind the string of violent deaths, adding tension to the narrative.

Zé confronts Dr. Rodolfo upon suspecting his suspicions. In a brutal attack, Zé gouges the doctor's eyes with his nails and sets him on fire, eliminating a key threat to his secret and continuing his path of murder.

Zé encounters Marta, a young woman visiting the town, and decides she will be his new 'perfect woman.' However, a gypsy warns Zé that his soul will be claimed by the ghosts of his victims and Satan at midnight, foretelling his doom.

After leaving Marta, Zé is haunted by ghostly visions of his murdered victims, indicating the supernatural consequences of his crimes. He frantically runs to the mausoleum, seeking to confirm their death, but he is overwhelmed by horror.

At the mausoleum, Zé opens the coffins of Antonio and Terezinha. Instead of being lifeless, their faces are crawling with maggots and spiders, and their eyes are open, symbolizing their spirits returning to haunt him.

Later, villagers discover Zé lying on his back outside the mausoleum, horribly disfigured with bulging eyes and a frantic expression. The church bells ring midnight, marking the moment of his ultimate punishment and the fulfillment of the gypsy's prophecy.