Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

Rich and bored aristocrats in Rococo France play high-stakes games of passion and betrayal.

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers:

Christopher Hampton (play), Choderlos de Laclos (novel),

Stars:

Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer

Won 3 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Glenn Close	...	Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil
John Malkovich	...	Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Madame de Tourvel
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Madame de Volanges
Keanu Reeves	...	Le Chevalier Raphael Danceny
Mildred Natwick	...	Madame de Rosemonde
Uma Thurman	...	Cécile de Volanges
Peter Capaldi	...	Azolan
Joe Sheridan	...	Georges
Valerie Gogan	...	Julie
Laura Benson	...	Emilie
Joanna Pavlis	...	Adèle
Nicholas Hawtrey	...	Major-domo
Paulo Abel Do Nascimento	...	Castrato
François Lalande	...	Curé

Storyline

Set in France around 1760, the Marquise de Merteuil needs a favour from her ex-lover, Vicomte de Valmont. One of the Marquise de Merteuil's ex-lovers, Gercourt, is betrothed to a young, virtuous, woman called Cecile de Volanges. The Marquise would like Valmont to seduce Cecile before her wedding day, thus humiliating Gercourt. Meanwhile, Valmont has a conquest of his own in mind: Madame de Tourvel, a beautiful, married, and God fearing woman. The Marquise doesn't think that Valmont can seduce Mme de Tourvel. She tells him that if he can provide written proof of a sexual encounter with Mme de Tourvel, she will offer him a reward: one last night with her. Valmont, however, will find himself falling in love with Mme de Tourvel, and facing the deadly jealousy of the Marquise de Merteuil. All along, Cecile de Volanges is used as a pawn in this game of sexual conquest and scorned love.

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Plot Keywords:

france | love | corruption | passion | aristocrat | 

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Taglines:

Lust. Seduction. Revenge. The Game As You've Never Seen It Played Before.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Relaciones peligrosas

Filming Locations:

Château de Champs-sur-Marne, Champs-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$34,700,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lorimar Film Entertainment, NFH Productions, Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the novel "Les Liaisons dangereuses" by Choderlos de Laclos was first published in 1782, it was considered so scandalous that when Queen Marie-Antoinette commissioned a copy for her personal library she had to have it bound in a blank cover so that no-one would recognise the author's name or title

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Goofs

In Madame de Rosemonde's garden, Valmont sits behind Madame de Tourvel and asks "Why are you so angry with me?" The camera then cuts to a close-up of Tourvel's face, and Valmont is sitting much closer behind her.

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Quotes

Marquise de Merteuil: [said to Valmont] Vanity and happiness are incompatible.

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Connections

Version of Dangerous Liaisons (2005)

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Soundtracks

"O Malheureuse Iphigénie !"
(aria from the opera "Iphigénie en Tauride")
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Performed by Catherine Bott sporano

User Reviews

on my top 10 list

This movie is so incredibly well done, and all three lead characters are at their peak career performances. It is clever, funny, and tragic all rolled together, and one that you will be thinking about long after the movie is over. Of the three main characters, Michelle Pfeiffer has the least stretching to do as an actor, but her character calls for a demure, soft-spoken individual. John Malkovitch and Glenn Close are both deliciously malicious and carry the film well. Keanu Reeves is better suited for an action film - he appears wooden - but does a decent job, anyway. Lastly, Uma is refreshing and captivating, and plays opposite John Malkovitch without losing her identity. All in all, masterful, and visually and intellectually stimulating to watch. Still to this day it holds its' own in a world where action is the name of the game.