Synopsis
In 18th century France, Marquise de Merteuil asks her ex-lover Vicomte de Valmont to seduce the future wife of another ex-lover of hers in return for one last night with her. Yet things don’t go as planned.
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Cast
- Glenn CloseMarquise Isabelle de Merteuil
- John MalkovichVicomte Sébastien de Valmont
- Michelle PfeifferMadame Marie de Tourvel
- Swoosie KurtzMadame de Volanges
- Keanu ReevesLe Chevalier Raphael Danceny
- Mildred NatwickMadame de Rosemonde
- Uma ThurmanCécile de Volanges
- Peter CapaldiAzolan
- Joe SheridanGeorges
- Valerie GoganJulie
Recommendations
- 100
Washington Post
A delectably naughty experience. This sort of wit and immediacy is extraordinarily rare in a period film. - 100
Entertainment Weekly
Pfeiffer reveals an emotional nakedness that's almost shocking. Never has she exposed so much and done it so simply. Who knew she could be this good? - 90
The New York Times
Nothing Miss Close has done on the screen before approaches the richness and comic delicacy of her work as the Marquise. [21 Dec 1988, p.C22] - 80
Time
An excellent film. [16 Jan 1989, p.64] - 80
Los Angeles Times
In addition to its photography, the film's details of costuming (by "The Last Emperor's" James Acheson) and production design (by Stuart Craig of "Gandhi" and "The Mission") are ravishing. [21 Dec 1988, Calendar p.6] - 75
USA Today
The distanced result, screen-adapted by playwright Christopher Hampton, never quite overwhelms you. [21 Dec 1988, Life, p.1D] - 75
Chicago Sun-Times
If there is anything lacking in the movie, it may be a certain gusto. The director, Stephen Frears, is so happy to make this a tragicomedy of manners that he sometimes turns away from obvious payoffs. - 60
Variety
The real problem is Malkovich's Valmont. This sly actor conveys the character's snaky, premeditated Don Juanism. But he lacks the devilish charm and seductiveness one senses Valmont would need to carry off all his conquests.
