The late 19th century Cuba during the Spanish rule, and 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 Hispanic 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. Julia says that they both have something in common: that both are not to be trusted. But they assure each other that they will try to understand and trust each other in life. Luis and Julia wed within hours of her setting foot in Cuba. Luis and Julia make a stunning couple. Luis would not force himself on Julia and promises to come to her only when she wants him to. Luis falls passionately in love with his new wife, while Julia seems to be fighting inner demons. Luis lives in a huge estate with many servants and workers. Luis is a kind man who treats everyone very well. Luis gives Julia a tour of his vast business interests. The sex between Luis and Julia is amazing and, in his arms, Julia becomes a different woman. At an opera, Julia wanders off during half-time and Luis finds her backstage seemingly talking to a stranger. But by the time he could get to her, the stranger had vanished. Sometimes in the middle of the night, Julia wakes up kicking and screaming. Luis finds cut marks on the back of Julia's shoulder. Meanwhile, Julia's sister Emily (Cordelia Richards) has been trying to contact her, worried about her after such a long trip to a strange land. She sends an emotional letter asking about her welfare. 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. A detective, Walter Downs, arrives from Wilmington and tells Luis that he has been hired by Emily to find her sister Julia and would like to see her on the coming Sunday. Luis informs Julia about this, and she gets upset. Emily arrives in Cuba to meet Luis and shows the letter Julia wrote to her. Emily is adamant that the person who wrote the letter is not her sister Julia as the handwriting does not match. She informs Luis that she believes Julia to be an impostor and that her sister may be dead. Luis discovers Julia has run off with nearly all of his fortune. Luis opens the trunk brought by Julia and realizes that it belonged to the real Julia, implying that the impostor disposed of the real Julia on the ship to Cuba. Luis falls into a spell of depression and visits brothels to have sex with prostitutes to channel his rage. Walter approaches Luis in a bar, where he was drowning in sorrow and makes him realizes that Luis has not had closure with Julia. Luis says that he wants to kill Julia. Luis then teams up with detective Walter Downs (Thomas Jane) to find Julia. 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. Luis 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. Walter turns out to be Julia's (Bonny's) old lover and partner, Billy. Billy makes a cut on Bonny's back before having sex with her, as he did during their previous encounters. 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 end 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.
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