Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

21 December 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

France | Love | Corruption | Passion | Aristocrat

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

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
François Montagut	...	Belleroche
Harry Jones	...	Armand
Christian Erickson	...	Bailiff
Catherine Cauwet	...	Opera singer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shannon Finnegan	...	(uncredited)
Patricia Kessler	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Frears

Writing credits (WGA)
Christopher Hampton		(play)
Choderlos de Laclos		(novel "Les liaisons dangereuses")
Christopher Hampton		(screenplay)

Produced by
Christopher Hampton	....	co-producer
Norma Heyman	....	producer
Hank Moonjean	....	producer

Original Music by
George Fenton

Cinematography by
Philippe Rousselot

Film Editing by
Mick Audsley

Casting by
Howard Feuer
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Stuart Craig

Art Direction by
Gavin Bocquet
Gérard Viard

Set Decoration by
Gérard James

Costume Design by
James Acheson

Makeup Department
Monique Huylebroeck	....	makeup artist
Peter Owen	....	wig designer
Dominique Plez	....	makeup artist
Malou Rossignol	....	hair stylist
Jean-Luc Russier	....	supervising makeup artist
Pierre Vadé	....	hair stylist
Bernard Floch	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Patrick Gordon	....	unit production manager
Suzanne Wiesenfeld	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jérôme George	....	third assistant director
Vincent Lascoumes	....	second assistant director
Bernard Seitz	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Paul Bastide	....	painter
Daniel Braunschweig	....	property master
Jean-François Cousson	....	props (as Jean François Cousson)
Jean-Michel Ducourty	....	assistant art director (as Jean Michel Ducourty)
Genevieve Fresca	....	drapery
Roger Fresca	....	drapery
André Loisif	....	construction foreman
André Marchandet	....	chief plasterer
Eve Mavrakis	....	art department assistant
Félix Placenti	....	prop buyer
Claude Potier	....	chief carpenter
Claude Périnet	....	chief painter
Patrick Torossian	....	props
Catherine Werner Schmit	....	prop buyer (as Catherine Werner)
Steve Clark	....	trainee: art department (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher Ackland	....	dialogue editor
Peter Baldock	....	assistant sound editor
Mick Boggis	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Martin Crane	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Dunford	....	dialogue editor
Steve Hancock	....	sound camera operator
Peter Handford	....	production sound mixer
Peter Maxwell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michel Mellier	....	cable person
Kant Pan	....	sound editor
John Stevenson	....	boom operator
Elaine 'Chucks' Thomas	....	assistant dialogue editor (as Elaine Thomas)

Stunts
Michel Carliez	....	stunts (uncredited)
Albert Goldberg	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stéphane Agostini	....	electrician
Jean-Pierre Baronsky	....	gaffer (as Jean Pierre Baronsky)
Philippe Barrillet	....	electrician
Jean-Luc Bezeau	....	grip
Barthelemy Bogaert	....	assistant camera
Bernard Brégier	....	key grip
Gerard Buffard	....	grip (as Gerard Buffard)
Pierre Cottereau	....	assistant camera
Alain Dondin	....	electrician
Mike Fox	....	camera operator
Etienne George	....	still photographer
Jean Pierre Pujol	....	electrician
Gérard Rival	....	grip
Gérard Sionneau	....	generator operator (as Gerard Sionneau)
Myriam Touzé	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Leo Davis	....	casting: UK
Françoise Menidrey	....	casting: France
Jacqueline Perpere	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Martin Adams	....	jeweller
Gerald Cheshire	....	milliner
Isabelle Coignerai	....	costume supervisor
Brian Collins	....	costume maker
Shirley Cooper	....	jeweller
Chris Criddle	....	costume maker
Andree Demarez	....	costumer
Nathalie Doux	....	costumer
Magot Forster	....	costume maker
Frank Gardiner	....	assistant costume designer
Sylvia Grainger	....	dress decoration
Annie Hadley	....	costume maker
Janette Haslam	....	costume maker
Carole Hersee	....	costume maker
Alan Hopkins	....	dress decoration
Vanessa Hopkins	....	dress decoration
Danielle Laffargue	....	costumer
Lorraine McKee	....	milliner
Cecile Moreau	....	dyer
Day Murch	....	costume maker
Gwen Russell	....	costume maker
Phyllis Thorald	....	embroidery

Editorial Department
Simon Cowper	....	assistant editor
Dan Gane	....	editor trainee
Françoise Roumanet	....	assistant editor (as Francoise Roumanet)
Annabel Ware	....	assistant editor
Yvan Lucas	....	dailies timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Michael Connell	....	music editor
Keith Grant	....	music recording engineer
Jackie Krost	....	music supervisor
Gerry O'Riordan	....	assistant music engineer (uncredited)
Jonathan Williams	....	musician: cello (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Alain Domínguez	....	transportation captain

Other crew
John Beharrell	....	accountant
Denise Breton	....	unit publicist
Sophie Drouin	....	production accountant
Cathy Dutheil	....	production secretary (as Catherine Hall)
Penny Eyles	....	script supervisor
Pierre Gralhon	....	location manager
William Hobbs	....	duel coordinator
Olivier Lhoste	....	location manager
Richard Liebegott	....	assistant: Hank Moonjean
Colette Martin	....	accountant
Pat Newcomb	....	financial representative (as Patrick Newcomb)
Caspian Owen	....	assistant: Patrick Newcomb
Jean Michel Penkhoss	....	assistant location manager
Pierre Romans	....	opera stager
Julian Rothenstein	....	title designer
Eliza Thompson	....	assistant: George Fenton
Tor Van Moyland	....	assistant: Norma Heyman
Blanche Wiesenfeld	....	production coordinator
Michel Carliez	....	duel double (uncredited)
Albert Goldberg	....	duel double (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Lorimar Film Entertainment
• NFH Productions
• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1990) (Greece) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2012) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1998) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cosprop  costume makers
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Peru:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | France:Unrated | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Lorimar Film Entertainment

Trivia:

The young Drew Barrymore was tested for and came close to getting the role of Cécile.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

Vicomte de Valmont:You see, I have no intention of breaking down her prejudices. I want her to believe in God and virtue and the sanctity of marriage, and still not be able to stop herself. I want the excitement of watching her betray everything that's is most important to her. Surely you understand that. I thought betrayal was your favorite word.
Marquise de Merteuil:No, no..."cruelty." I always think that has a nobler ring to it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: John Malkovich/T.I. (#34.10)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Concerto BWV 1065

The #1 rule of seduction is don't fall in love!

"Dangerous Liaisons" is this incredible movie that is so under rated. It's the battle of the sexes and this book was written over 200 years ago! I love to know that there was this same problem that we still have to this day. That's why enjoyed "Dangerous Liaisons" so much because it proves that we have so many differences from the opposite sexes. Men are usually expected to have sex and with a few clever words destroy women's reputations in minutes, while women have to be careful of sleeping with whom, because it's considered shameful.

Glenn Close plays Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil, a proper lady with a secretive double life of sex and wishing to destroy a girl's reputation for revenge on her ex for dumping her for this young lady. She also makes a bet with her closest friend, Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont played by John Malkovich, that he could not bed a lady of such high stature and morals, in return if he succeeds, he will finally have the conquest he's been dreaming of, bedding Marquise Isabelle. I don't care what people say, this was Glenn's best performance and she was so brilliant. Her speech of "Dominate your sex and avenge my own" was perfect and as a woman I rooted for her in the story. She is a tragic figure that was over looked by many as just another slut. Glenn had my sympathy and I agreed with a lot of her dialog.

John as Valmont was absolutely perfect, he's not that sexy looking but has such charm and charisma on the screen you believe him as a lady's man. "It's beyond my control", he repeats this several times throughout the film and it becomes more darker each and every time he says it to Michelle's character. He does the Marquise a favor of bedding young Cecile to help the Marquise's plan of revenge and does such a good job. It was almost too easy for him, but he has a more difficult task of bedding Madame Marie de Tourvel who is married and has very high morals and standards of God and love. He falls in love with her in the process of getting to know her and is so believable, you can see how it breaks his heart to break her's. But he feels he must stand by his reputation and your own heart goes out to him despite his cruel manors as a "man".

Michelle Pfeiffer as Marie de Tourvel is so beautiful and elegant and is the only one who knows of Valmont's true side. But she cannot help but fall for his charm and love for her, when she talks to his aunt, this is one of the most true speeches ever in cinema that all women can relate too "I'm sorry to say this but those who are most worthy of love are never made happy by it. Do you still think men love the way we do? No... men enjoy the happiness they feel. We can only enjoy the happiness we give. They are not capable of devoting themselves exclusively to one person. So to hope to be made happy by love is a certain cause of grief." That is so incredibly and painfully true that Marie knows better but can't help but give herself to Valmont.

Swoosie Kurtz, Uma Thurman, and Mildred Natwick are all so exceptional and amazing as well in the film. They truly bring the story to life and keep it going with their dialog and actions. Keanu? Shudder, his acting is like... how do I put this delicately? I think it's... wood. :) Otherwise, trust me this is one of the best movies of all time. This deserves higher than a 7.6 and should be in the top 250. But it's beyond my control. :D

10/10