Valmont is a 1989 drama film directed by Miloš Forman, based on the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1782) by Choderlos de Laclos. It was adapted for the screen with a screenplay by Jean-Claude Carrière. The film stars Colin Firth, Annette Bening and Meg Tilly.
Valmont received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design (Theodor Pištěk).
Plot
Merteuil (Annette Bening) is a beautiful, wealthy widow in society who was recently dismissed by her secret lover Gercourt (Jeffrey Jones) after he announces that he is newly betrothed. Merteuil learns from her cousin Madame de Volanges (Siân Phillips) that Gercourt's new fiancé is no other than Volanges' 15 year old daughter Cecile (Fairuza Balk). Volanges confides in Merteuil that Gercourt specifically chose Cecile as she was raised in a convent in order to keep Cecile chaste before marriage. Volanges also admits there were worries over the betrothal as people were discussing Gercourt's former mistress's questionable sanity.
Angered over the loss of her spurned lover and his slight of her character, Merteuil plots to deface Cecile's virtuousness by having her friend Valmont (Colin Firth) seduce the young, naïve Cecile. Valmont declines Merteuil's request relating that he is currently trying to allure Madame de Tourvel (Meg Tilly), a married guest of his aunt who is staying in the country while her husband is abroad, into bed with him. Merteuil chides Valmont in his conquest and the two place wagers on his success or failure. If Valmont succeeds in bedding the innocent Cecile, he will be able to bed Merteuil, a feat that she constantly rebuffs. However, if he fails, Merteuil demands that he must join a monastery for losing.
Although Merteuil does not have the charming libertine Valmont for assistance, she is able to separate Cecile from her music teacher, Danceny (Henry Thomas) when she informs Cecile's mother of their mutual affection and infatuation with each other, about which Merteuil has learned in confidence from Cecile. At the same time, Valmont is unsuccessful at his numerous attempts of wooing Tourvel. He learns that Cecile's mother has warned Tourvel of his sexual scheming and debauchery, and Tourvel flees back to the city to get away from Valmont's constant attempts at seducing her. After learning of this, Valmont decides to assist Merteuil in corrupting the young Cecile.
Merteuil convinces her cousin to allow Cecile to join her in the countryside to help Cecile get over the loss of her music teacher, when, in fact, she helps Cecile write secret love letters to Danceny. The two of them join Valmont at his aunt's residence where he playfully flirts with Cecile. Valmont offers to help Cecile write a letter on Merteuil's advisement and Valmont takes full advantage of his opportunity to exact revenge on Volange. When Cecile confides to Merteuil what she has done, Merteuil encourages her young cousin to use Valmont as training for when Cecile finally gets her chance with Danceny.
Valmont and Merteuil spar after she learns that his affection for Tourvel is more than just sexual infatuation, which he vehemently denies. After Merteuil and Cecile return back to the city, Valmont goes to Tourvel and finally admits that he has fallen in love with her and she returns his affections. In the morning, she leaves to the market to prepare a meal for him, but Valmont decides not to stay and goes to collect his prize from Merteuil.
He discovers Merteuil in bed with Danceny and chases him out of the bedroom. Merteuil laughs at her latest conquest and reproves Valmont for his abandonment and denial of his true feelings for Tourvel. Merteuil refuses to honor her wager and Valmont leaves in a fury. When he tries to go back to Tourvel to apologize, she refuses to see him. He decides to drink himself to a stupor. Danceny later learns of Valmont's treachery and challenges him to a duel – at which an inconsolable Valmont allows himself to be slain by Danceny. Danceny flees town after Valmont's death.
Cecile later learns of Merteuil's deceit, lies and scheming, but it already too late as she discovers she is pregnant with Valmont's child. His aunt is overjoyed when Cecile shares her news and promises to be there for her and Valmont's child. The film ends with Cecile's wedding to Gercourt with Merteuil watching on alone.
Variance from source text
The script of Valmont differs significantly from the source text. In Laclos's novel, Cecile is raped by Valmont and suffers a miscarriage; in Valmont she is seduced willingly (the script goes so far as to have the character confirm that she enjoyed the encounter) and is pregnant at her wedding. The letters between Valmont and Merteuil that lead to Merteuil's downfall in the novel are simply not mentioned in the film; in fact, Merteuil has no actual downfall except in the eyes of Cecile and her mother. She also does not suffer from the physical disfigurement described by Laclos in the denouement. Madame de Tourval's future is likewise less tragic; instead of dying of a broken heart, she returns to her forgiving and understanding older husband.
Cast
See also
Missing Original Scenes on MGM DVD
The DVD version of Valmont released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer included the deletion of two scenes that were included in the original VHS tape releases.[citation needed]
References
External links
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Films directed by Miloš Forman |
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Audition (1963) • Kdyby ty muziky nebyly (1963)
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