Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! 1989

Ricky, a 23-year-old psychiatric patient, has been deemed cured and is released from a psych hospital. Until then, he has been the lover of the hospital’s female director. An orphan, free, and alone, his goal is to have a normal life with Marina Osorio, a former porn star and recovering drug addict, with whom he once slept during an escape from the asylum.

At a studio, [Marina Osorio] is filming The Midnight Phantom, a Euro-horror film about a mutilated, masked muscleman in love with her character. The film is directed by Máximo Espejo, an old director confined to a wheelchair after a stroke. Máximo is a mentor to Marina, and threatens to throw out a journalist who mentions the words “porn” and “junkie” in her presence. Máximo is secretly attracted to Marina and plans to enjoy what could be his last experience of directing a female lead.

When [Ricky] comes to the set, he steals some items, including the keys to Marina’s apartment, and becomes an unwelcome presence in her life. Ricky, while wearing a wig, does a handstand to try to capture her attention, but Marina does not remember him and dismisses him.

After filming the last scene, Marina prepares to change for the post-shoot party. Ricky follows her to her apartment. When she answers the door, Ricky forces his way in. He grabs her and headbutts Marina to silence her when she screams; he tapes her mouth and binds her with rope. Marina wakes up with a toothache which normal painkillers do not relieve, as she is addicted to stronger drugs. Ricky says that he captured her, so that when she gets to know him better, she will fall in love and they will get married and have children. Marina declares she will never love him, enraged at being handcuffed, gagged and lashed to the bed. However, Ricky remains determined to win her heart.

Marina is shocked and in pain, and persuades Ricky to take her to a doctor who can give her the necessary painkillers. When Ricky leaves her alone with the doctor, she cannot communicate her plight. They cannot obtain the drugs in the pharmacy, so Ricky tries to buy them on the black market. However, rather than paying the street price, he attacks the dealer to steal the tablets.

During the wrap party, Marina’s sister Lola, who is the film’s assistant director, steals the show with a musical number. Worried about her sister’s disappearance, Lola visits Marina’s apartment and leaves a note. To avoid being discovered, Ricky moves Marina to her next door neighbor’s apartment, which is empty, but the owner left his keys with Lola so she can water his plants while he is away during the summer.

In the street again, Ricky is spotted by the dealer whom he attacked. Ricky is then beaten, robbed and left unconscious. During his absence, Marina tries to escape from her captivity. However, when Ricky returns covered with blood and cuts, she notices his vulnerability and devotion to her. They eventually have sex and decide to visit Ricky’s hometown.

When he is about to leave to steal a car for the trip, Marina, who still considers herself his prisoner, tells him to keep her tied up so that she will not try to escape. However, in Ricky’s absence, Lola re-enters the apartment and discovers Marina tied up and rescues her. Marina informs Lola that she is in love with her captor. Lola is astonished, but once convinced, she agrees to drive Marina to Ricky’s hometown. They find him in the ruins of his family house in a deserted village, then the three climb into Lola’s car to return to the city. When Lola accepts Ricky as a member of the family, saying that she will find Ricky a job within the week, Marina begins to cry, and they drive off together, singing “Resistiré” (“I will prevail”) in unison.