Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

Star Rating- 3
Length of Film- 119 minutes
Director- Hector Babenco
Cast- William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, Jose Lewgoy, Milton Goncalves, Miriam Pires, Nuno Leal Maia, Fernando Torres, Patricio Bisso, Herson Capri, Denise Dumont, Antonio Petrin, Wilson Grey, Miguel Falabella, & Walter Breda
Oscar- William Hurt (actor)
Oscar Nominations- David Weisman (best picture), Hector Babenco (director), Leonard Scrader (screenplay)
Cannes Film Festival- William Hurt (actor), Hector Babenco nomination (Golden Palm)


Set in a Brazilian prison, homosexual Luis Molina (William Hurt) was sentenced for immoral behavior with politcal prisoner Valentin Arregui (Raul Julia). Molina entertains Arregui by telling him stories of his favorite movies, and the film flashes to WWII in France, which has nothing to do with the plot line other than the audience getting to know the important things Molina finds dear. Which telling these stories,i he's not dressed in regular prison attire, he's in a floral robe and head wrap.

Molina has been working with the Warden, hoping to get early bail if he gives the Warden any information on his cell mate. The Warden poisons his food, which causes Arregui to have stomach pains and diarreha. Molina, is happy to care for him and clean up after him.

Molina tells another story, about a spider woman.

He explains that " In a tropical island far away,there lived a strange woman. She wore a long gown of black lame that fit her like a glove. But the poor thing, she was caught in a giant spider web that grew out of her own body. One day a shipwrecked man drifted onto the beach. She fed him and cared for his wounds. She nourished him with love and brought him back to life." This story symbolizes the relationship between Molina and Arregui. Molina is the spider woman; Arregui is the drifter.

Molina gets out, and the night before he leaves, Arregui and Molina share an intimate night (which is not seen). In the morning, with his suitcase in hand, and Arregui whispered something in Molina's ear. 

The ending has a shocking, "WHAT?!" Not an ending like The Sixth Sense, but more 'I didn't see that coming.'  Watch it yourself, see what you think. :)