Dangerous liaisons

Year of release : 1988

Run time : 2h

Genre : Drama

Cast : Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Keanu Reeves, Swoosie Kurtz

The movie is based on the 1985 play " Les liaisons dangereuses" which was based on the 1782 novel of the same name by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

The marquise de Merteuil wants vengeance against her former lover, le comte de Bastide, who left her. She knows he is engaged to Cecile who spent most of her life in a monastery, as he wants a virgin religious bride, and she asks her best friend and former lover, vicomte de Valmont (who is just as evil as she is), to seduce her .

Valmont refuses as he plans to seduce madame de Tourvel, for she prides herself in being faithful to her husband and the church.

The marquise offers to sleep with him too, if he has written proof from madame de Tourvel of infidelity. Valmont accepts the deal.

Madame de Tourvel stays at Valmont's aunt's place, making it easier for him to "court" her, as he moves in too. Tourvel tells him she was warned of his evil ways, and he starts doing his research on who and why would have talked bad about him. Looking through her mail, he finds out it's Cecile's mother, and he accepts the marquise's offer, to seduce Cecile.

Things got really smooth for him, as Cecile is in love with her music teacher, and he uses her love for him, in order to get into her room, and make advances on her.

When Cecile tells the marquise about it, the marquise tells her to enjoy it, since he didn't force himself on her.

I personally enjoyed the movie, but most characters are unlikeable.

Valmont is playing madame de Tourvel, while he slowly falls in love with her, and plays Cecile at the same time, while sleeping with other women! Seriously, he had nothing but time!

Cecile says she loves her music teacher, but once the marquise tells her to enjoy sleeping with Valmont, she becomes an easy woman,as in, she enjoys his visits.

Her love interest is no better, as he is the marquise's lover!

It also felt some scenes were cut, as I recall watching a version 20 years ago with madame de Tourvel walking in the rain and getting sick, after Valmont breaks up with her, which wasn't in the movie.

It does feel the characters aren't really fleshed out except for the marquise, and we do not know much about their inner emotions. It felt there were no feelings,especially between Cecile and her teacher, although they keep on speaking of feelings. Where are those feelings when they sleep with other people?!

The places where they filmed were beautiful, and so were their outfits.

The actors were flawless.

I didn't like the soundtrack ,as it was symphonic.

The movie received positive reviews from critics, and got a B+ from Cinema Score audiences. It grossed 34.7 million dollars at the box office, against a budget of 14 million.

The movie received many award nominations, including 7 Oscar nominations, winning 3, and 10 BAFTA nominations,winning 2 (one being for Michelle Pfeiffer's interpretation).

Drew Barrymore and Sarah Jessica Parker were considered to play Cecile.

Rating : Worth a watch !