As in the novel of the same title from Camilo Jose Cela, "La Colmena" is a sad composition with the stories of many people in the Madrid of 1942, just the postwar of the spanish civil war. The main theme of the film is the contrast between the poets, surviving close to misery under the Franco's regime, and the winners of the war, the emerging class of the people that makes easy money with illegal business.
Victorita

Purita

Julita

Ricardo Sorbedo

Rubio Antofagasta

Filo

Tesifonte Ovejero

Leonardo Meléndez

Doña Asunción

Nati Robles

Amparito

Ventura Aguado

Doña Visitación

Don Casimiro

Martín Marco López

Ramón Maello

Novio de Victorita

Mario de la Vega

Julián Suárez 'La fotógrafa'

Pepe 'El Astilla'

Doña Matilde

Doña Rosa

Consorcio López

Pepe

Matías Martí

Madre de Victorita

Don Roque

Prestamista

Prostituta
Señorita Elvira

Prostituta
Don Ibrahim

Padilla

Señor de luto

Roberto González

Prostituta
La Uruguaya

Cliente del prostíbulo
Prostituta

Cosme

Fotógrafo

Padre de Victorita
Juez

Unknown Role
Unknown Role
Policía
Unknown Role
Jefe del edificio

Policía

Patrona
Unknown Role
Cliente del prostíbulo

Unknown Role
Unknown Role
Unknown Role
Unknown Role
Policía
Unknown Role
Unknown Role
Narrador final (uncredited)