Plot

Mexican beauty Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek) hopes to rise above her station by marrying a wealthy American. That is complicated by meeting Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell), a first-generation Italian hoping to land a writing career and a blue-eyed blonde on his arm.

In early-1930s Los Angeles, California in the early 1930s, racism, poverty, and disease color the Bunker Hill neighborhood where Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell), a lover of man and beast alike, has arrived from Colorado to write the great Los Angeles novel. Six months later he's down to his last nickel and orders a cup of coffee, which is served by Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek): beautiful, self-possessed, and Mexican. Arturo gets advice, encouragement, and an occasional check from H.L. Mencken (Richard Schickel), so he keeps writing and he keeps seeing Camilla. But he's mean to her for no apparent reason, so the relationship sputters. A housekeeper from back East suggests a way out of his jealousy and fears.—<jhailey@hotmail.com>

The story is set during the Great Depression, specifically around the time of the 1933 Long Beach earthquake.

Arturo (Colin Farrell) is a struggling writer who comes to Bunker Hill, Los Angeles to start his writing career. He is writing a novel about Los Angeles and wants to be the first person who gets published on this topic. He is down to his last nickel. He is 6 weeks behind his rent to the owner of the hotel room, Mrs. Hargraves (Eileen Atkins). Hellfrick (Donald Sutherland) is Arturo's neighbor at the hotel.

Camilla (Salma Hayek) is a fiery, beautiful Mexican cafe waitress who aspires to make something of herself and give her and her future children a place and chance in the world. Arturo meets Camilla in a cafe where she waitresses. She ignores Arturo, after she serves him bad coffee. She later curses Arturo, when he forces her to give him attention. Arturo pretends to "drop dead" as per her curse. Arturo has his inspiration and starts to pursue Camilla. He gives her his published story as a gift. Camilla says she read the story, when she didn't. Arturo is insulted and pours her served beer down a puke bucket. In retaliation, Camilla tears off Arturo's story off the book, and stuff it down the puke bucket. He later realizes that Camilla can't read English.

Arturo catches a lucky break when a publisher agrees to publish another one of his short stories and sends him a check for $175. Arturo spends all the money on luxuries for himself. Arturo returns to the cafe and spends big on a cigar and whiskey. Camilla tries to impress him with her new shoes, but he makes fun of her and says she will never be a US citizen till she learns English. Camilla is heartbroken, till Arturo praises her by saying that her new shoes aren't good enough for her feet. Sammy (Justin Kirk) is Camilla's bartender at the bar and also an aspiring writer. Camilla takes Arturo out after her shift that night. She takes him for a naked swim on the beach. They end up fighting when Camilla plays a prank on Arturo which he doesn't like.

Arturo starts writing about Camilla in his novel. Where they end up making passionate love on the beach. Arturo is back down to his last 10 dollars. Suddenly a stranger Vera Rivkin (Idina Menzel), enters his room and professes to know everything about Arturo. She takes him out for a drink. Arturo learns from the bartender that Vera is new in town and had seen Arturo in the same bar a couple of weeks ago. Arturo tries to escape, but Vera reaches his room first and reads his unfinished novel. Vera reveals that she is a housekeeper and one day heard Arturo talk at the bar. She read his short story and fell in love with him. Vera undresses in front of Arturo and shows him burn marks all over her legs, due to which her husband calls her disfigured and ugly. Arturo kisses her and says she is beautiful.

Sammy reaches out to Arturo and asks for tips on his own writing skills. Sammy then tells Arturo that he is being too nice to Camilla, and that Mexican women like tough men who are rough on her and boss them around. Sammy leaves town due to TB. Arturo again meets Camilla at the cafe and insults her with a tip. Camilla meets Arturo at his room, and they have a big argument. Arturo claims that Camilla was interested in Sammy because of his American name and nothing else.

Camilla says Arturo is not an American, not nice and not rich. Not much improvement either. Camilla tries to entice Arturo to bed and removes her panties. Arturo doesn't praise her body and she feels insulted and throws her typewriter to the ground. Arturo is enraged and wants to sexually assault Camilla but stops when he realizes what he is doing. Camilla leaves.

Arturo meets Vera to understand why Camille behaves the way she does. Vera tutors Arturo and they end up making love. After Arturo leaves LA is hit by a huge Earthquake and Vera ends up dead. As a tribute, Arturo decides to build Vera's character into his novel. As a surprise, the publisher sends Arturo a $250 check as down-payment for his next novel. Camilla reaches out to Arturo, after she was assaulted at work. They spend the night together and the next day Arturo takes her on a trip outside of LA. They visit a beach, adopt a puppy and rent a beach house where Arturo tries to complete his novel. Camilla ends up seducing Arturo and they make passionate love in bed. Arturo teaches English to Camilla and helps her prepare for her immigration test. Camilla develops a cough.

Arturo falls in love with Camilla, he does not marry her (as marrying a Mexican immigrant will not be good for his career prospects in USA). Later, Camilla is infected by tuberculosis and leaves Arturo without informing him. When Arturo finds her, she is about to die and he promises to marry her, but Camilla dies, and Arturo writes a novel dedicated to Camilla. The novel is hugely successful. Arturo returns to Camilla's grave years later and writes a dedication in one of his books to her and throws it into the sand (as time has taken away Camilla's grave marker).