Cuca Canals and director Bigas Luna (Jamon, Jamon) adapted Didier Decoin's novel, winner of the Goncourt Prize, for this period film, a Spanish-French-Italian co-production. French foundry worker Horty (Oliver Martinez), married to Zoe (
Romane Bohringer), wins a competition of strength. His prize is a trip to witness the Titanic's launch from Southhampton. At his hotel room, Marie (
Aitana Sanchez-Gijon) tells him that she is a Titanic chambermaid with nowhere to stay. Although she sleeps in his bed, they don't have sex. When Horty awakens, she's gone. Later, he spots a photographer taking her picture and buys the photograph. Horty returns to France, where he hears rumors that his wife Zoe has been sleeping with the foundry boss. After his drinking buddies find the photo of Marie, they ask him about her, and he begins to fabricate a tale -- seen in flashbacks -- of his encounters with Marie, a story which increases in eroticism as he retells it night after night with increasing theatrical flourishes and embellishments. Southhampton scenes were actually filmed in Trieste. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide