Duas Caras - Plot

Plot

Adalberto Rangel, born Juvenaldo, lived with his poor father and siblings in a favela. Having no way to sustain the family, his father sold him (a boy) to Hermógenes Rangel, a thief. Some time later, Adalberto decides to make his own fortune without depending on his mentor. He steals all of Hermógenes' money, and flees.

During the escape, a serious car accident occurs, killing a couple. While searching the dead couple's car, Adalberto discovers a suitcase containing money, pictures and personal effects of their daughter. He proceeds to the fictitious city of Passaredo (adapted from São Bento do Sul, Santa Catarina) to meet the orphaned Maria Paula.

Adalberto lies to Maria, telling her that he was asked by her parents to care for her. The heiress's friends try to alert her, but she won't listen. Adalberto asks Maria Paula to marry him. She is swept off her feet by the con man. Not long after the wedding, Adalberto disappears. He leaves Maria absolutely nothing. Adalberto changes his entire life, including his name, home (in Rio de Janeiro) and lifestyle. He even has plastic surgery to change his face. The only person he shares his secret with is Bárbara Carreira - a prostitute to whom he lost his virginity. Adalberto, or Dr. Marconi Ferraço, makes his name as a respectable construction entrepreneur.

Some years later, Maria Paula relocates in Rio de Janeiro. She sees a news report about Ferraço, and recognizes him as her husband. She starts to track him down.

With a new identity and a lot of money in his pocket, Ferraço decides to conquer the beautiful Sílvia. She falls in love with the man she knows as Ferraço and accepts his offer of marriage. Maria Paula gatecrashes the engagement party and makes a big scene. Silvia remains engaged to him, and he becomes her first great love. Sílvia and Maria Paula both vie for Marconi Ferraço's attention. It remains unknown whether Maria Paula is interested in love or in revenge. Sílvia is slowly revealed as a psychopath, willing to go to extremes to stay with Ferraço.

Branca, Silvia's mother, discovers on the day following her husband João Pedro's death that he had an extra-marital affair for over twenty years with Célia Mara. Branca assumes her husband's place as the president of the Universidade Pessoa de Moraes. She transforms it in an institution of excellence.

Branca's brother is Paulo Barreto (Barretão), a human rights activist. He is married to Gioconda, a great lady of the carioca society, who is a snob and a gossip. The two are parents of Júlia, a very intelligent and active girl, who fell in love with Evilásio Caó, a black man from the Portelinha favela. Thus, race and class prejudices were revealed in the family.

Portelinha was created from the determination of Juvenal Antena, born leader, smart and compassionate. Juvenal was the head of a builders union, the GPN, who brought workers from the Northeast. The workers were told that they would receive their fees from the failed company. When the claim proved to be false, they rioted at the injustice. Juvenal resigned his position and joined the workers in their fight. He dreamt of joining those families without a home and creating a community. Though his dream was a big stretch of the imagination, Juvenal met with other demonstrators respected by the group: the Lady Setembrina, the evangelical shepherd Inácio Lisboa, the carpenter Misael Caó, the father of Evilásio and a van owner Geraldo Peixeiro. With the help of Narciso Tellerman, the secretary of State of Social Service and the future deputy, Juvenal organized an invasion of the land owned by the GPN. Fired up by Juvenal's gift for words, they took over the land they wanted. There, the community of their dreams grew: the favela of Portelinha, where there are neither drugs nor violence, and a place where people will never be without.

Marconi Ferraço bought the land of GPN, and he enters into a judicial and moral battle against Juvenal Antena.

In the last few episodes, an alliance between Ferraco and Juvenal begins. Ferraco aids Juvenal in his suit against his godson. Juvenal's opinion of Ferraco changes. He advises Maria Paula to marry Ferraco to recover her money, and for the sake of her and Ferraco's son Renato. Renato adores his father, and knows nothing of his dark past.

Hoping to separate Ferraco and Maria Paula, Silvia sends an article concerning Ferraco's fraud to Renato. She starts to lose her mind. The boy fight with Ferraço, but soon forgives her father.

Silvia escapes the mental hospital where she was locked up and kidnaps Renato. She tries to kill Maria Paula and Ferraco, but Ferraço defends his wife. He is reached in place of Maria Paula and the two are reconciled. Silvia escapes without killing anyone, and while she is fleeing she is hit by a car driven by a handsome millionaire. He takes her to live in Paris with him. She contacts her accomplice, Joao Batista, who goes to Paris to work as her driver.

Ferraco confesses his crimes as part of the prenuptual agreement he signs in order to get Maria Paula to marry him again, and he goes to jail for 2 years. He tells Maria Paula that the only thing he hopes in exchange for his change of heart is to have her and their son waiting for him when he gets out of jail.

Two years later, he gets out and finds that Maria Paula stole all his money and went away with Renato. While he is sitting on a beach, asking himself why would she do that to him after all the proofs he gave of his love for her, he receives a phone call from Maria Paula. She asks him what it feels like to be betrayed. He answers that he never would have believed it of her. She interrupts him and tells him where his plane ticket is, because she is waiting for him with his son.

Ferraco arrives on a beautiful island, and finds Renato walking on the beach. He runs up to him and hugs him. Then, he sees Maria Paula, and asks her what the status is of their relationship. She tells him to stop wasting time and kiss her. Ferraco smiles and kisses her passionately.