Kiss of the Spider Woman

Valentin Arregui, a political prisoner, shares a cramped cell with Luis Molina, a gay man imprisoned for 'corrupting an underage youth.' They begin a guarded dialogue as the prison's harsh realities frame every word. Molina starts passing the time by recounting memories from his favorite film.

Molina recounts memories from his favorite wartime romantic thriller, presenting it as a Nazi propaganda film within the film. He weaves the film's characters into their conversations to comfort Valentin and distract them from torture and isolation. The motif of cinema as solace recurs throughout their talks.

Valentin challenges Molina's shallow romance and urges him toward self-respect and political commitment. Despite friction over what makes a story engaging, a cautious friendship begins to form.

It becomes clear that Molina is spying for the secret police, with promises of parole hinging on helping to break up the revolutionary group. Valentin absorbs the treachery with a mix of anger and quiet resolve.

As the plot thickens, Valentin is secretly poisoned by his jailers to give Molina the opening to befriend him and gain leverage. The police's reach intrudes even into their cell as manipulation tightens.

Molina declares his love for Valentin, deepening their bond. On Molina's last night in prison, they consummate their relationship, changing the stakes of their fragile arrangements.

In a surprise move, the secret police parole Molina. Valentin gives him a telephone number and a message for his comrades, urging him to use it only if it serves the cause.

After release, Molina calls the number; a meeting with the revolutionary group is arranged, though the secret police keep him under surveillance, heightening the tension.

At the rendezvous, a gun battle erupts as revolutionaries confront Molina. He is wounded, and the police demand the number; Molina refuses to disclose it and dies.

Molina's body is dumped in a rubbish pit, and the police fabricate a story of his supposed collaboration with the revolutionary group. The deceit reinforces the regime's control over truth.

Back in the prison infirmary, Valentin is treated after torture. A sympathetic doctor risks his job by giving morphine to help him sleep, easing the torment and offering a fleeting escape.

Valentin seems to die, then dreams of escaping with Marta to an idyllic tropical island, a vision of freedom beyond the prison walls. The dream contrasts with the grim reality outside the bars.

Molina's stories blur cinema and reality, keeping Valentin's hope alive while highlighting how narrative sustains resistance and memory under oppression.

The tension of Molina's divided loyalties surfaces, complicating their relationship as personal affection becomes entwined with political danger and betrayal.

Valentin awakens with a renewed sense of political commitment, even as he mourns Molina's death. The ending hints at a future struggle and a longing for freedom beyond the prison walls.