This movie is a maze of film noir proportions, but it’s not a film noir. It’s marketed as a women’s movie just because it’s set in the 1700s, but really, anybody who likes intrigue can watch this film and enjoy it. And having superb actors like Glenn Close and John Malkovich doesn’t hurt, either.
The film, based on the 18th century novel Les liaisons dangereuse by Choderlos de Laclos, is set in, of course, 18th century France (1760, to be exact). The Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil (Close) asks her ex-lover,Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont (Malkovich) to break up the engagement of her other ex-lover Gercourt () with a woman named Cecile de Volanges (Uma Thurman). Valmont and the Marquise also make a bet that he can’t seduce a god-fearing, married woman named Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer). The reward the Marquise sets if Valmont can prove that he had sex with Madame de Tourvel? One night of sex with the Marquise. Crazy, I know.
But the crazy plot is what makes the movie so good! Granted, the movie wouldn’t be half as good if the right actors weren’t cast, and thankfully, the director and producers hit the nail on the head with the casting (even Keanu Reeves, who plays the young music teacher Le Chevalier Raphael Danceny, someone Cécile is in love with) . Everyone shines in their roles, and you can see just how repulsive yet intriguing the whole disturbing game between the Marquise and Valmont is.
Everyone’s morals and values get destroyed in this film–some more literal than others. It’s also a very revealing portrait of Rococo excess and boredom, showing two people who have nothing better to do in their lives than ruin the lives of others only for amusement. This movie is one of those films that sucks you in and doesn’t let you go until the final, pivotal climax. I say go rent this movie, or better yet, buy it.
Fun fact: “Cruel Intentions” is a remake of this/the book. Love ‘em both.
I thought they were oddly similar. Thanks for that.