Dangerous Liaisons (1988) on Netflix
In 18th century Paris, the Marquise de Merteuil asks her ex-lover, the Vicomte de Valmont, to seduce and disgrace a young bride-to-be. He answers with a wager of his own.
- Netflix3.7/5
- IMDb7.5/1080,791 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes94%
Trailer
Plot summary
Paris: the Marquise de Merteuil wants revenge on the nobleman who ended their affair. His young fiancée, Cécile de Volanges, has just been presented to society after years in a convent. Merteuil asks the Vicomte de Valmont to seduce the girl and disgrace her. Valmont says the task is too easy; his own pursuit is Madame de Tourvel, a devout married woman lodging with his aunt, Madame de Rosemonde. Merteuil makes it a challenge: win Tourvel, bring her letters as proof, and she will spend a night with him. Valmont agrees. Tourvel, told by letters from Cécile's mother that he cannot be trusted, refuses him. Valmont sets his page Azolan to court Tourvel's maid Julie and reach her mistress's correspondence. At the opera, Cécile meets the Chevalier Danceny, who becomes her music teacher, and Merteuil encourages their attachment.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- During production John Malkovich had an affair with Michelle Pfeiffer, and his six-year marriage to the actress Glenne Headly ended shortly thereafter.
- Uma Thurman agreed to a nude scene because she believed it was the right artistic decision at the time, despite feeling nervous. She was dissatisfied with the "voyeuristic" nature of the final cut and decided not to appear nude again in films.
- Annette Bening went through several auditions for the courtesan Émilie, but the role went to Laura Benson. A year later Bening played the Marquise de Merteuil in Miloš Forman's rival adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Valmont.
- Dangerous Liaisons was the final film appearance of the Academy Award and Tony Award-nominated actress Mildred Natwick, and Drew Barrymore and Sarah Jessica Parker had both been considered for the role of Cécile before it went to Thurman.
- It was the first English-language film adaptation of Laclos's novel, taken from Christopher Hampton's Olivier Award-winning and Tony-nominated stage version for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
