Dangerous Liaisons

Hey everyone, I caught this movie on TCM the other night. It’s been ages since I last saw it. Does anyone remember it? It came out back in 1988.
I couldn't find an existing thread about it here. You probably know the premise, though—aristocrats passing the time through all sorts of romantic schemes and manipulation.
The film actually won three Oscars, though not for acting; they went to costume design, production design, and screenplay. Still, the cast was nominated too.
What do you guys think? Do you like the story? How was the acting? And honestly, have any of you ever played those kinds of games in real life—betting that you could make someone fall for you just like they do in the movie?

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&...Q3FUJA&cad=rja

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos wrote this epic about the twisted erotic games played by high society elites back in the late 1700s. I'm talking about *Dangerous Liaisons*—one of those books everyone knows.

It’s all told through letters. You've got the Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont running the show; they're partners, rivals, and lovers all rolled into one. Everyone else in the story is just a puppet dancing to their tune. Their letters basically serve as a play-by-play of their obsession with seduction, revenge, and pure malice. For them, sex isn't about connection; it's a weapon used to tear people down.

The Marquise de Merteuil is out for blood after an old flame dumped her. Her plan? Ruin his upcoming marriage by "corrupting" his bride. Initially, she thinks about using the young kid Cécile de Volanges, who's head over heels for the guy, but that plan hits a snag. So, she pivots to a better option: Vicomte de Valmont. The Marquise decides her lover shouldn't get a virgin for a wife, and she wants to make sure Cécile enters marriage as anything but innocent.

While Valmont is busy playing games with Cécile, he starts chasing after the incredibly virtuous de Tourvel. But here's the twist: he actually falls for her. This drives his partner-in-crime, the Marquise, absolutely insane with jealousy. She starts plotting against him just like she does with everyone else, and honestly, it leads both of them straight into a disaster zone.

*Dangerous Liaisons* is pretty much the gold standard for epistolary novels. Seriously, critics often put it above even Rousseau’s *New Heloise* or Goethe’s *Werther*. It’s a brutal look at the pre-revolution elite, driven by the calculated moves of the Marquise de Merteuil and Valmont. Two innocent women, the naive Cécile de Volanges and the saintly de Tourvel, end up as collateral damage. Since Laclos was a military officer and a math guy, he structured the letters so perfectly that the plot moves like a freight train. It's smooth, believable, and frankly, most writers couldn't pull off that kind of pacing if they tried. Even though this was his only novel, his name stayed legendary long after he passed, just like he hoped in a letter to a buddy. The fact that *Dangerous Liaisons*—written way back in 1782—still grips people today is pretty wild, and you can see how much it still resonates through all those movie adaptations.

FILM:

The game of seduction is on. It’s absolute chaos when a wealthy widow (Glenn Close), who's used to getting her way, dares a notorious playboy (John Malkovich) to seduce a beautiful young woman who just got married (Michelle Pfeiffer). But here's the catch: this time, someone’s actually going to break the rules and fall in love—which leads to a total disaster, featuring Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves playing along as either helpers or obstacles.
This highly acclaimed winner of three Oscars (plus four more nominations) really nails the lavish 18th-century sets and those super authentic period costumes. Honestly though, the characters feel like they could step straight into the 1900s without missing a beat. Stephen Frears directed this based on that scandalous 1782 novel and Christopher Hampton's 1986 adaptation. "Dangerous Liaisons" is basically a "wild, decadent party; it's wild how much raw emotion leaks out of such a cold, marble-hearted movie."

Man, what an unforgettable movie. I watched it right when I was hitting that late puberty phase, and let me tell you, that raw teenage jealousy was hitting me like a freight train. Uff.
I feel like everyone could use a little reminder of that one day.

Patrick Martin said:Man, what a movie. I watched it right when I was hitting that late puberty phase, and let me tell you, the teenage jealousy was hitting me like a freight train. Uff.
One of those things you'll want to remember on a rainy day.

Teenage jealousy...😁
Always welcome, as long as it stays within reasonable limits.😉

I actually caught this one a few months back.
It was incredible. Honestly, the acting is at such a level that "good" doesn't even cover it. The passion the leads brought to their roles was just unreal. You'd almost think you were watching actual life unfold—like someone had secretly planted cameras around them without them knowing.🙏

Hands down one of the best movies I've ever seen. Not seeing Glenn Close and especially John Malkovich win an Oscar that year was a total cosmic injustice. For him, it’s easily the performance of a lifetime. Just beautiful, flawless, and masterfully directed!!! Now I'm just hunting for a high-end collector's edition DVD. 🙂

It’s a solid enough film, I suppose, though I found myself much more drawn to the more recent South Korean adaptation. While watching this one, I couldn't help but dwell on the sheer density of the details—the production design, the period costumes, and that piercingly sharp conclusion.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380689/

Laura Palmer25 said:Honestly, this is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. It’s a straight-up crime that Glenn Close and John Malkovich didn't sweep the Oscars that year—it feels like a total cosmic injustice. For Malkovich, that was easily the performance of a lifetime. Just stunning, absolutely flawless, and directed to perfection!!! Now I'm just out here hunting for some fancy collector's edition DVD. 🙂

No way, Glenn Close and Michelle Pfeiffer both snagged Oscar nods! Finally.

The Oscar went to the script, the costumes, and the set design.

The movie ended up snagging 7 Oscar nominations in total.

Check out this trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbB2oBlP2uI

What kind of shady connections is the San Francisco Ballet hiding?

https://magazin.nytimes.com/517455/u-kakv...sf-ballet