Valmont (John Malkovich) can’t resist. Wealthy, alluring Merteuil (Glenn Close) has challenged him to seduce the beautiful and very proper Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer), a task involving Valmont’s favourite pastimes, love and revenge. What’s more, Merteuil offers herself as the ultimate prize. So let the game begin. The unspoken rules to this contest of sinful pleasures are second-nature to rakish Valmont. Lie, cheat, deceive, debauch, double-cross, betray. But do not fall in love. The story comes from the frequently banned 1782 novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” written by Choderlos De Laclos, and was transformed into an international stage success by Christopher Hampton who then fashioned the play into an Oscar winning movie script. The luxurious setting is pre-French Revolution, but the characters could step into the dog-eat-dog nineties without skipping a beat.
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Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
305097
Language
English
Audience classification
MA
Subject categories
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Motion picture remakes
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Seduction
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)