Cruel Intentions (1999)

Kathryn makes a bet that her step-brother, Sebastian, won't be able to bed Annette (a virgin, who wants to wait until love). If he loses, Kathryn gets his Jaguar, if he wins, he gets Kathryn.

Director:

Roger Kumble

Writers:

Choderlos de Laclos (novel), Roger Kumble (screenplay)

Stars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon

7 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Kathryn Merteuil
Ryan Phillippe	...	Sebastian Valmont
Reese Witherspoon	...	Annette Hargrove
Selma Blair	...	Cecile Caldwell
Louise Fletcher	...	Helen Rosemond
Joshua Jackson	...	Blaine Tuttle
Eric Mabius	...	Greg McConnell
Sean Patrick Thomas	...	Ronald Clifford
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Dr. Greenbaum
Christine Baranski	...	Bunny Caldwell
Alaina Reed-Hall	...	Nurse
Deborah Offner	...	Mrs. Michalak
Tara Reid	...	Marci Greenbaum
Herta Ware	...	Mrs. Sugarman
Hiep Thi Le	...	Mai-Lee

Storyline

Kathryn makes a bet that her step-brother, Sebastian, won't be able to bed Annette (a virgin, who wants to wait until marriage) before the start of the school year. If he loses, Kathryn gets his Roadster, if he wins, he gets Kathryn

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Plot Keywords:

bet | virgin | love | jaguar | revenge | 

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Taglines:

In the game of seduction, There is only one rule: Never fall in love

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual dialogue and sexual situations involving teens, language and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Columbia TriStar

Country:

USA

Language:

English Vietnamese French

Release Date:

5 March 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cruel Inventions

Filming Locations:

5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£898,118 (UK) (18 June 1999)

Gross:

£4,080,631 (UK) (13 August 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Cruel Productions LLC, Newmarket Capital Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Valmount townhouse interiors were built and shot on sound stages in Los Angeles while the exterior scenes were filmed in New York City.

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Goofs

Blaine's pile of marijuana changes size between shots.

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Quotes

Blaine Tuttle: Now, just think for a minute. This girl... Annette Hargrove, she said someone wrote her a letter explaining all about you. Where did you say she was from?
Sebastian: Kansas. Who the hell do I know in Kansas?
Blaine Tuttle: Greg McConnell.
Sebastian: The football stud?
Blaine Tuttle: Mm hm. He's from Kansas City. I wouldn't be surprised if he was your rat.
Sebastian: It would make sense... McConnell hates me. I fingered his girlfriend at Homecoming last year.
Blaine Tuttle: I... don't think that bothered him so much.
Sebastian: What do you mean?
Blaine Tuttle: Well, let's just say that Greg likes ...
[...]

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Connections

Spoofed in Not Another Teen Movie (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Coffee & TV"
Written by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Steven Alexander, James Rowntree and Dave Rowntree (as David Rowntree)
Performed by Blur
Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd./Virgin Records America Inc.
Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd./EMI Blackwood Music Inc.

User Reviews

Wonderfully twisted.

I have recently seen the movie "Cruel Intentions," and let me say it is one of the best films I've seen in a long while. As a big movie buff, I always see the latest movies on opening night, but I got a chance to see this one months before it will be released. Sarah Michelle Gellar is a stunning actress, and portrays Kathryn extremely well. Her character is evil and cunning, and is delivered with such grace and perfection... Ryan Phillippe is excellent as well, and he portrays Sebastian Valmont with as much talent as the lovely Ms. Gellar. They work very well together, as they did in their last movie together, "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER"

Reese Witherspoon gives a nice performance as well, and Selma Blair's acting is worthy of as much recognition as Ms. Gellar's.

Anyway, I should stop ranting about the cast... the story is a great update of "Dangerous Liaisons," with a perfect mix of satire, wit, and drama. Writer Roger Kumble certainly has a sick sense of humor, and I applaud him for that. This is the most beautiful, wicked film since "Wild Things," and though that may not impress some people, oh well. I thought it was incredible.