A comparison/contrast between Manuel Puig’s book and Hector Babenco’s film version.
This paper shows how the book and the movie vary on a variety of levels. It claims however that both still manage to convey the central message of the plot. This message is that if we judge others too harshly based on superficial elements, we may be depriving ourselves of a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to know a one of a kind human being that could deeply enrich our lives.
“Any time a book is converted into a movie, certain elements are bound to be ;lost in the translation;. This has undoubtedly been the case for Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman, particularly in regards to the ending. While Hector Babenco’s film version generally adheres to the plot, characters, setting and theme of Puig’s novel, there are significant differences between the two versions as well.”