Dangerous Liaisons Movie Review 1988

Stylish and absorbing, this adaptation of the Laclos novel and the Christopher Hampton play centers around the relationship of two decadent members of 18th-century French nobility. The Marquise de Merteuil (Close) and the Vicomte de Valmont (Malkovich) spend their time testing and manipulating the loves of others. Merteuil wishes Valmont to deflower teenager Cecile (Thurman) while Valmont himself is after the virtuous married Madame de Tourvel (Pfeiffer). They find love often has a will of its own. Interesting to comparison-view with director Milos Forman's version of this story, 1989's "Valmont."

Distribution

Facets Multimedia, Inc., 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL 60614, Phone: (773)281-9075, Toll-free: 800-331-6197, Fax: (773)929-5437, Email: sales@facets.org, URL: http://www.facets.org

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 120 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, Adapted from a Play, Period Piece: 18th Century, Sex & Sexuality, Great Death Scenes, Femme Fatale

Screenplay

Christopher Hampton

Cast

John Malkovich, Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Keanu Reeves, Swoosie Kurtz, Mildred Natwick, Peter Capaldi

Cinematography

Philippe Rousselot

Director

Stephen Frears

Music

George Fenton

Awards

Oscars 1988: Adapt. Screenplay, Art Dir./Set Dec., Costume Des.; British Acad. 1989: Adapt. Screenplay, Support. Actress (Pfeiffer); Cesar 1990: Foreign Film; Writers Guild 1988: Adapt. Screenplay.