Original Sin (2001)

Director:

Michael Cristofer

Writers (WGA):

Cornell Woolrich (novel)
Michael Cristofer (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Obsession. Lies. Desire. Lust...

Plot:

A young man is plunged into a life of subterfuge, deceit and mistaken identity in pursuit of a femme fatale whose heart is never quite within his grasp.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Coffee | Mail Order Bride | Photograph | Bank Account

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	Luis Antonio Vargas
Angelina Jolie	...	Julia Russell / Bonny Castle
Thomas Jane	...	Billy / Walter Downs / Mephisto
Jack Thompson	...	Alan Jordan
Gregory Itzin	...	Colonel Worth
Allison Mackie	...	Augusta Jordan
Joan Pringle	...	Sara
Cordelia Richards	...	Emily Russell
James Haven	...	Faust - Stage
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Jorge Cortés (as Pedro Armendáriz)
Mario Iván Martínez	...	Cuban Priest
Harry Porter	...	Stage Manager
Fernando Torre Laphame	...	Wedding Priest (as Fernando Torre Lapham)
Shaula Vega	...	Dressmaker Girl
Lisa Owen	...	Margareta - Stage

Also Known As:

Dancing in the Dark (USA) (working title)
Péché originel (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

116 min | USA:118 min (unrated version)

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | German | Japanese | Latin | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Portugal:M/12 (R rated version) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KNT | Brazil:16 | France:U | Germany:16 (bw) | Hong Kong:III | Hungary:16 | Japan:R-18 | Netherlands:16 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-18 | Poland:18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Singapore:R21 (re-rating) (uncut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (No. 37331) (edited version) | USA:Unrated | Malaysia:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The plantation house is a real sugar cane plantation manor, albeit abandoned.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Luis and the maid find the dead bird, Luis' towel is inside the collar of his gown. In the next shot he turns around and the towel is outside.

Quotes:

Julia: Get this man a doctor!
Security Guard: What about him?
Julia: [fires gun] He's dead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Faces of Schlock (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

No One

Love Is Blind

Here's a "steamy" film - at least early on - about a Cuban (Antonio Bandaras_ who marries an American woman he had only previously written to, only to find out later she (Angelina Jolie) wasn't that woman but a scheming impostor (Billy Bob found this out in real life!)

This is nicely photographed, "lush" being the best adjective to describe it. I didn't find the story very involving, yet it wasn't boring and I could relate to Bandaras' character. Perhaps many men could with the old "love is blind" story.

This is one of those films with poor messages here and there where corrupt people live happily ever after despite their overt sins. There is an "R" version and a "unrated" version of this film, the latter being two minutes longer.