Valmont Movie Review 1989

Another adaptation of the Choderlos de Laclos novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." Various members of the French aristocracy in 1782 mercilessly play each other for fools in a complex game of lust and deception. Firth and Bening are at first playfully sensual, then the stakes get too high. They share an interesting bathtub scene. Well-acted, the 1988 Frears version, "Dangerous Liaisons," is edgier. Seeing the two films together makes for interesting comparisons of characters and styles.

Distribution

Orion Home Video, MGM, 2500 Broadway, 3515, Santa Monica, CA 90404-3036, Phone: (310)449-3000, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 137 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Period Piece: 18th Century, Revenge, Femme Fatale, Sex & Sexuality, France, Great Death Scenes

Screenplay

Jean-Claude Carriere

Cast

Colin Firth, Meg Tilly, Annette Bening, Fairuza Balk, Sian Phillips, Jeffrey Jones, Fabia Drake, Henry Thomas, Vincent Schiavelli, T.P. McKenna, Ian McNeice

Director

Milos Forman

Music

Christopher Palmer

Producer

Claude Berri, Renn Productions, Orion Pictures

Awards

Cesar 1990: Art Dir./Set Dec., Costume Des.