Plot

Brazilian singer Laura Monteiro is murdered in her dressing-room by her jealous lover João Fernandes de Oliveira when he discovered she was cheating on his with Assis and planning to escape from him and go to Buenos Aires with Assis. Meanwhile, Belén Moreira, who lives in Favela do Salgueiro and is a dead ringer for Laura, goes to Copacabana with her boyfriend Paulo. Two members of a gang that smuggles precious stones sewn in Carnival costumes see Belén and force the President of the Salgueiro Samba School to invite her to perform Chica da Silva in the Carnival parade in a costume that is adorned with genuine precious stones to be smuggled to Europe.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Singer Laura Monteiro (Montiel) is murdered by her old protector João Fernandes de Oliveira (Giachetti), who has discovered her love affair with Assis (Carlos Alberto). Favela girl Belén (also Montiel) is the lookalike who takes her place, unaware that she is being used by a gang that smuggles precious stones sewn in Carnival costumes.—fabreu

Background: In 18th Century Brazil, João Fernandes de Oliveira, a Portuguese diamond mine owner, fell madly in love with one of his black slaves named Xica (Francisca) Da Silva. In spite of the social scandal, de Oliveira bestowed on Xica all his fortune and had 13 children with her. Xica lived like a queen for the rest of her life and her story became a folk tale told from generation to generation specially among the poor. Every black ghetto girl dreams that someday she will have Xicas good luck.

In modern day Rio de Janeiro, lives a descendant of the mine owner, an old man gone totally mad (Fosco Giachetti) who believes himself to be the original João Fernandes de Oliveira. Although he lives in the impressive family palace in Petropolis, the old family fortune is all but gone. His madness and the truth about his affairs are only known to his administrator Crescente (Jose Prada) and faithful housekeeper Trinidad (Zeni Pereira) who do everything they can to keep their master oblivious of reality. The situation is being manipulated by a professional gang of thieves and smugglers which is laundering money through the operation at the palace and are using de Oliveiras prestigious name as a front for their illegal business. To further control the old man, the gang has obtained the cooperation of singer Laura Monteiro (Sara Montiel) who stands for Xica da Silva in the crazed mans mind. However Laura has fallen in love with young Assis (Carlos Alberto), the old mans nephew, and the two lovers are planning to run away to Buenos Aires in order to escape this whole set up and start a new life. Somehow old de Oliveira finds out and in a jealous rage kills Laura in her dressing room at the theater. The gangsters cover up the murder and take the old man back to his palace where they feed him drugs to calm him down. When the old man wakes up the following day he has completely forgotten the murder and wonders about the whereabouts of his Xica da Silva.

Up in the hills, in the outskirts of the city, stands the favela Salgueiro, a neighborhood formed by hundreds of miserable huts where the poorest of the poor live and toil. However, the community is quite active preparing for the upcoming carnival in which an ensemble of singers, dancers, musicians, etc., all belonging to Salgueiros Escola de Samba, will compete for the grand prize at the annual parade. For this years presentation the directors have chosen as theme the story of Xica da Silva in dance and song recreating Xicas legend with a magnificent 18th century wardrobe, wigs, jewelry, props and movable sets. Working at the sewing workshop is Belen Moreira (Sara Montiel), a beautiful young woman who lives with her grandmother (Antonia Marzullo) in Salgueiro and is actively involved in all the preparations for the carnival including sewing the complex wardrobe. Belens boyfriend is local favela boy Paulo (Marc Michel) who works at a gas station and dreams of saving enough to be able to marry her someday. The grandmother does not approve the relationship and is constantly praying to the Macumba deities for financial aid and for a rich man to take care of Belen believing that her granddaughter is destined to be a new Xica da Silva.

As customary every Saturday, Belen and Paulo go out to enjoy Rios most beautiful venues and to enjoy each others company. The couple is having great fun and do not notice they are being observed and followed by two gangsters belonging to the group that operates at de Oliveras palace. The crooks are amazed by Belens resemblance to Laura, the murdered singer, and a novel idea is taking hold in their minds. That night, at the favela, is rehearsal time for the carnival and while Belen takes her places in the choreography, the gangsters approach the Escolas director (Ciro Monteiro) with a proposition he cant refuse. They are willing to supply the Escola with as much cash as necessary to make it the big winner at the parade with the only condition that Belen plays the part of Xica da Silva in the production. The director presents the proposal to his associates and they all agree that the money will make all the difference with the exception of Freitas (Grande Otelo) whose wife had been promised the Xica spot and he is clearly afraid of her violent temperament. In spite of Freitas opposition, the Escola proclaims publicly that Belen has been chosen for the part of Xica and there is great rejoicing among all except Paulo who becomes suspicious about the election and, of course, Freitas wife who proceeds to beat up her husband. Disregarding Paulos concerns, Belen notifies her grandmother to whom the news comes as an omen that her granddaughter will inherit Xicas good fortune.

A huge masquerade ball is organized by the gangsters at the Petropolis palace. Belen is invited as an honored guest for having been chosen Xica da Silva at Salgueiro. They provide a car and chauffer for her and, upon arrival at the palace, she is overcomed by its magnificence, opulence and luxury. Next, she has her first meeting with the crazy João Fernandes de Oliveira who welcomes her as if she had lived there all her life and has only been away for a short time. Later she meets Trinidad who reacts quite startled at seeing her but soon catches on that Belen is only a replacement for the dead Laura. Trinidad and a host of housemaids assist Belen in bathing and dressing for the party. They dressed her in a Xica da Silva gown with wig and accessories much to the satisfaction of the old palace master who is pleased to see his Xica back in full regalia.

An uninvited guest also shows up at the party. In disguise, Assis mingles in the crowd looking for Laura, ignoring that she is dead. He spots Belen and approaches her asking for a meeting outside at the garden. Out of curiosity she steps out and suddenly finds herself embraced and kissed by Assis who wants to know why she hasnt contacted him lately and when can she get away from that mad man. Totally confused, Belen promises to see him the following day and runs away from him just in time to find the old de Oliveira looking for her in the ball room. When the party is over, Belen asks to be driven back to Salgueiro but Trinidad convinces her to spend the night at the palace. Belen is given Lauras plush bedroom and discovers a bunch of love letters written by Assis and his picture. The following morning, Trinidad gets into a frenzy when she sees the letters and photo on the bed next to Belen. She begs her to keep all that a secret and to never again meet with Assis or something terrible might happen. Belen, who just about had it with so much mystery, promises that shell never see the man nor speak about all the happenings at the palace.

Belen is driven back to Salgueiro but the gangsters tell her she must return to the palace shortly. They offer her the opportunity to make money and be famous performing all over Brazil as well as Europe but she declines. At the favela she is received by a bunch of children who demand eagerly about life at a palace and Belen complies gladly with a song about the great fantasy she has just experienced. After visiting the dress shop where her measurements are taken for the Xica da Silva carnival custom, Belen tries to talk to Paulo but he ignores her and dismisses her. He is angry at her for attending the ball at the palace and spending the night out. Sad and discouraged by Paulos attitude, Belen sees no other way but to go back to the palace and face her destiny. Meanwhile the gangsters pay a visit to Belens grandmother offering her a lot of money for persuading Belen to comply with their plans. The old woman accepts believing that this windfall is coming from the Macumba deities she worships and that it all points out to a better future for Belen.

Next, the gangsters approach de Oliveira about taking the Salgueiro Escola de Samba featuring Xica on a promotional tour that would take them all the way to Europe. They suggest that the old man meets in Brasilia with government officials to enlist their support in this project which would export Brazilian culture abroad. Branding the project of national interest the authorities grant full support to the enterprise including non-inspection by Customs agents of their luggage and cargo at airports. Everyone ignores that the gangsters have recently pull a heist in Bello Horizonte walking away with a fortune in diamonds and other precious stones and they need to get their loot out of the country. This can be accomplished by replacing the fake stones from Xica da Silvas costume with real jewels and check it all out as cargo.

Back to Rio, Belen goes home to visit her grandmother and finds her in the hut surrounded by fancy electro domestics. She tells grandma that she is quitting the whole thing and that she must get used to being poor again. Suddenly some neighbors start throwing stones at for having sold her body and Belens engages them in a fight that is interrupted by Paulo. Belen swears to Paulo that she has nothing to be ashamed of, and that she is back in the favela to stay since shes truly afraid for her own safety. However, Paulo does not believe her and walks away.

In the days that follow, Paulo attends a dress rehearsal of the Escola de Samba at a local theater and watches as Assis tries to talk to Belen on the way out calling her Laura. Intrigued by the whole thing Paulo informs Assis that the girls name is Belen and that she has previously spoken to him about being in danger. Assis decides to slip into the palace in Petropolis to find out the truth but first stops by the police department and reports suspicious activities at the palace. When he finally makes it there he meets with Trinidad who confesses about his uncles madness, Lauras murder and how the gangsters replaced her with Belen. Trinidad begs Assis to run away and save himself but he is now committed to save Belen in Lauras memory.

On his part, Paulo enlists the help of his friend Antonio (Antonio Pitanga) and they break into the palace grounds where they find Assis and learn from him the truth. Next they find the place where the gang is substituting the fake stones with real jewelry and gun shots are fired at them. The police, which had been casing the palace, surrounds the place and forces the crooks to surrender. Meanwhile Assis rescues Belen from her locked room and leads her directly to Paulo. They are finally reunited in a passionate embrace.

Soon is carnival time in Rio and Salgueiros Escola de Samba makes a spectacular showing at the parade singing and dancing the Xica da Silva story featuring Belen as the legendary Xica.