| Glenn
Close, John Malkovich , Michelle Pfeiffer , Swoosie Kurtz, Keanu
Reeves, Uma Thurman .
Adapted for stage and screen several
times over the past century, French author Francois Choderlos de
Laclos' 1782 novel Les Liasons Dangeureuses was the basis for this
Academy Award-winning Stephen Frears film. The plot is motivated
by a cruel wager between the beautiful but debauched Marquise de
Merteuil (Glenn Close) and her misogynistic former lover, the Vicomte
de Valmont (John Malkovitch). The Marquise challenges Valmont to
seduce the virginal Cecile de Volanges (Uma Thurman) before the
girl can be wed. Valmont offers a more difficult counter-challenge:
He bets the Marquise that he will be able to bed the very moral
and very married Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer). In the course
of carrying out his plan, Valmont is stricken with a sudden case
of honor and remorse, while the Marquise becomes all the more vicious. |