Original Sin (film)
Encyclopedia
Original Sin is a 2001
movie starring Angelina Jolie
and Antonio Banderas
. It is based on the novel Waltz into Darkness by Cornell Woolrich
, and is a remake of the 1969 Francois Truffaut
film Mississippi Mermaid
. Jolie was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award in 2001
for Worst Actress for her work in Original Sin and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
.
, and flashes back and forth a few times from the scene of a woman awaiting her execution by garrote
while telling her story to a priest, to the actual events of that story.
Luis Vargas (Antonio Banderas
), a wealthy Cuban businessman, sends for American Julia Russell (Angelina Jolie
) to sail to his country to be his bride. Julia departs from the ship, looking nothing like the photos she's sent prior to her voyage. Julia explains she wants more than a man who is interested in a pretty face, and that's why she's been deceptive - substituting a plain-looking woman in place of her own picture. Luis also admits to deception; he's been misleading her into believing he's a poor working man, instead of the rich owner of a coffee company.
Luis and Julia wed within hours of her setting foot in Cuba. Luis falls passionately in love with his new wife, while Julia seems to be fighting inner demons.
Meanwhile, Julia's sister Emily has been trying to contact her, worried about her after such a long trip to a strange land. Luis forces Julia to write back, fearing that if Julia continues to ignore Emily's letters, Emily will assume something terrible has befallen her sister and might send the authorities to check on her welfare. Holding off as long as possible, Julia finally pens a letter to her sister.
In order to assure that his wife has everything she wants, Luis adds Julia to his business and personal bank accounts, giving her free rein to spend as she pleases. Luis discovers Julia has run off with nearly all of his fortune, and then teams up with a detective, Walter Downs (Thomas Jane
). Walter reveals to Luis he believes Julia to be an impostor and the intended wife to be dead by her hand, and that she may be working with someone. The two set out together looking for her.
Luis finds Julia and discovers she is actually working with Walter. He believes she loves him and lies to Walter, but when confronted by him a fight breaks out and Luis shoots Walter. Julia coldly tells Luis to go and buy them tickets home, but the minute he leaves, Walter gets to his feet; he had loaded the gun with blanks. Julia appears to love Luis, but Walter has too much control over her, so she continues to work for him as she and Luis run off to live in secret with the supposedly dead Walter on their tail.
Luis throws away his promising future and opens himself to living a lie with Julia. One night Luis follows Julia and discovers Walter is alive and the two are still working together; she is apparently going to poison her husband that very night. He returns home and waits for her, and when she arrives reveals he knows of the plan, confesses his love for her once more and swallows the poisoned drink. Julia flees with the dying Luis, with Walter close behind. They run into him at a train station; Walter is furious that Julia has betrayed him. While Walter holds a knife to her throat, Luis shoots and wounds him, with Julia finishing him off.
Back in the mise en scene
, Julia finishes her story and asks the priest to pray with her. The next morning the guards come to her cell to take her to her execution, only to find the priest in her clothing.
In Morocco
, Julia is watching a card game. She walks around the table occupied by gamblers — including Luis — and thanks them for allowing her to watch. As Julia signals Luis about the other players' cards, he begins telling them the story of how they got there.
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
movie starring Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
and Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
. It is based on the novel Waltz into Darkness by Cornell Woolrich
Cornell Woolrich
Cornell George Hopley-Woolrich was an American novelist and short story writer who sometimes wrote under the pseudonyms William Irish and George Hopley....
, and is a remake of the 1969 Francois Truffaut
François Truffaut
François Roland Truffaut was an influential film critic and filmmaker and one of the founders of the French New Wave. In a film career lasting over a quarter of a century, he remains an icon of the French film industry. He was also a screenwriter, producer, and actor working on over twenty-five...
film Mississippi Mermaid
Mississippi Mermaid
Mississippi Mermaid is a French film directed by François Truffaut. The film is adapted from the 1947 William Irish novel Waltz into Darkness. The film features Jean-Paul Belmondo, Catherine Deneuve, and others. The film was the 17th highest grossing film of the year with a total of 1,221,027...
. Jolie was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award in 2001
2001 Golden Raspberry Awards
The 22nd Golden Raspberry Awards were held on March 23, 2002 at the Abracadabra Theater at Magicopolis in Santa Monica, California, to recognize the worst the movie industry had to offer in 2001...
for Worst Actress for her work in Original Sin and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is a 2001 adventure thriller film adapted from the Tomb Raider video game series. Directed by Simon West and starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, it was released in U.S. theaters on June 15, 2001. The film was a commercial success...
.
Plot
Original Sin is set in the late 19th century CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, and flashes back and forth a few times from the scene of a woman awaiting her execution by garrote
Garrote
A garrote or garrote vil is a handheld weapon, most often referring to a ligature of chain, rope, scarf, wire or fishing line used to strangle someone....
while telling her story to a priest, to the actual events of that story.
Luis Vargas (Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
), a wealthy Cuban businessman, sends for American Julia Russell (Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
) to sail to his country to be his bride. Julia departs from the ship, looking nothing like the photos she's sent prior to her voyage. Julia explains she wants more than a man who is interested in a pretty face, and that's why she's been deceptive - substituting a plain-looking woman in place of her own picture. Luis also admits to deception; he's been misleading her into believing he's a poor working man, instead of the rich owner of a coffee company.
Luis and Julia wed within hours of her setting foot in Cuba. Luis falls passionately in love with his new wife, while Julia seems to be fighting inner demons.
Meanwhile, Julia's sister Emily has been trying to contact her, worried about her after such a long trip to a strange land. Luis forces Julia to write back, fearing that if Julia continues to ignore Emily's letters, Emily will assume something terrible has befallen her sister and might send the authorities to check on her welfare. Holding off as long as possible, Julia finally pens a letter to her sister.
In order to assure that his wife has everything she wants, Luis adds Julia to his business and personal bank accounts, giving her free rein to spend as she pleases. Luis discovers Julia has run off with nearly all of his fortune, and then teams up with a detective, Walter Downs (Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist...
). Walter reveals to Luis he believes Julia to be an impostor and the intended wife to be dead by her hand, and that she may be working with someone. The two set out together looking for her.
Luis finds Julia and discovers she is actually working with Walter. He believes she loves him and lies to Walter, but when confronted by him a fight breaks out and Luis shoots Walter. Julia coldly tells Luis to go and buy them tickets home, but the minute he leaves, Walter gets to his feet; he had loaded the gun with blanks. Julia appears to love Luis, but Walter has too much control over her, so she continues to work for him as she and Luis run off to live in secret with the supposedly dead Walter on their tail.
Luis throws away his promising future and opens himself to living a lie with Julia. One night Luis follows Julia and discovers Walter is alive and the two are still working together; she is apparently going to poison her husband that very night. He returns home and waits for her, and when she arrives reveals he knows of the plan, confesses his love for her once more and swallows the poisoned drink. Julia flees with the dying Luis, with Walter close behind. They run into him at a train station; Walter is furious that Julia has betrayed him. While Walter holds a knife to her throat, Luis shoots and wounds him, with Julia finishing him off.
Back in the mise en scene
Mise en scène
Mise-en-scène is an expression used to describe the design aspects of a theatre or film production, which essentially means "visual theme" or "telling a story"—both in visually artful ways through storyboarding, cinematography and stage design, and in poetically artful ways through direction...
, Julia finishes her story and asks the priest to pray with her. The next morning the guards come to her cell to take her to her execution, only to find the priest in her clothing.
In Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Julia is watching a card game. She walks around the table occupied by gamblers — including Luis — and thanks them for allowing her to watch. As Julia signals Luis about the other players' cards, he begins telling them the story of how they got there.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Antonio Banderas Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer... |
Luis Vargas |
| Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the... |
Julia Russell/Bonny Castle |
| Thomas Jane Thomas Jane Thomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist... |
Walter Downs/Billy |
| Jack Thompson Jack Thompson (actor) Jack Thompson, AM is an Australian actor and one of the major figures of Australian cinema. He was educated at University of Queensland, before embarking on his acting career. In 2002, he was made an honorary member of the Australian Cinematographers Society... |
Alan Jordan |
| Gregory Itzin Gregory Itzin Gregory Martin Itzin is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as disgraced U.S. President Charles Logan in the television series 24.-Early life:... |
Colonel Worth |
| James Haven | Faust, on Stage |
Trivia
- The title was changed to avoid confusion with the musical drama Dancer in the DarkDancer in the DarkDancer in the Dark is a 2000 Danish musical drama film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Icelandic singer Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Cara Seymour, Peter Stormare, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, and Joel Grey...
(2000). - About two minutes of footage was cut from the sex scene for television showings, including those on cable. These two minutes are included in the unrated DVD version.
- The plantation house is a real sugar cane plantation manor, albeit abandoned.
Award nominations
- Golden Raspberry Award:
- Worst ActressRazzie Award for Worst ActressThe Razzie Award for Worst Actress is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst actress of the previous year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, along with the film for which they were nominated....
(Angelina Jolie)
- Worst Actress