Set in Baroque France, a scheming widow and her lover make a bet regarding the corruption of a recently married woman. The lover, Valmont, bets that he can seduce her, even though she is an honorable woman. If he wins, he can have his lover to do as he will. However, in the process of seducing the married woman, Valmont falls in love.
Costume
Every wig is a character; every corset a prison.
Acting
Bening's Merteuil glides through malice like silk over daggers.
Production
Forman rebuilt 18th-century France just to watch it rot.
Director
Miloš Forman
Colin Firth
Valmont
Annette Bening
Merteuil
Meg Tilly
Madame de Tourvel
Fairuza Balk
Cécile
Siân Phillips
Madame de Volanges
Jeffrey Jones
Gercourt
Henry Thomas
Danceny
Fabia Drake
Madame de Rosemonde
T. P. McKenna
Baron
Isla Blair
Baroness
Ian McNeice
Azolan
Aleta Mitchell
Victoire
Ronald Lacey
José
Vincent Schiavelli
Jean
Sandrine Dumas
Martine
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released the same year as Dangerous Liaisons—this was the 'loser' version despite Forman's pedigree. History was cruel.
Fairuza Balk's film debut at 15; she later became a goth icon and Wiccan shop owner. Full circle from corrupted innocent.
US
