Both the "dated elements" and "white-washing" lamented in the comments here is completely blown out of proportion.

First of all the gay/trans stereotypes present are a little much but within the context of the movie realistic. Secondly this is not the point of the movie - it's not supposed to be a grand portrait of gay psyche or a history lesson about Brazil's junta days. It's essentially a very intimate, tender 2-person stage play. It lives and dies by the performances - and live it does

Some dated elements, but holy heck, what performances by Hurt and Julia!

The trick behind fully enjoying Kiss of the Spider Woman is to match Molina (William Hurt)'s fantasies (part dream, part movies they've seen) with the actual circumstances between the two cellmates. The movies don't properly exist, do they? Molina, gay, but coded as trans (1985 just didn't know what to do with this, or perhaps the 1976 novel didn't), is at once informing on Raúl Juliá's political prisoner, Valentin, in love with him, and trying to get the most out of the warden, which all comes out in the fascist romance recounted, where trust is short on supply. Though Valentin's stance is initially mistrustful, he eventually falls for the act (which isn't entirely an act, unless it's not Molina we should be worried about) and fails to see the clues right there in the story told. Or maybe it's Molina who ironically fails to see the clues in their own story. This is an acting showcase, mostly. Hurt gives it his best as the flamboyant Molina, but Juliá's performance is the more subtle and intriguing.