DANGEROUS LIAISONS

US, 1988, 119 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoozie Kurtz, Keanu Reeves, Uma Thurman, Mildred Natwick, Peter Capaldi.
Directed by Stephen Frears.

Dangerous Liaisons is based on the play by Christopher Hampton (who served as co-producer and adapter of the film). Based on an 18th century novel Choderlos de Laclos, it is a portrait of evil and corruption in pre-Revolution France. This novel has been the basis for several film versions. There was an updated French version directed by Roger Vadim with Gerarde Philippe and Jeanne Moreau. Simultaneously with Dangerous Liaisons, Milos Forman directed Valmont with Colin Firth, Annette Bening and Meg Tilley. A further updating with an eye to the youth market was 1999's Cruel Intentions with Ryan Philippe, Sarah Michelle Geller and Reese Witherspoon. The same makers went on to a loose sequel, Cruel Intentions 2.

This film was directed by Stephen Frears whose movies before this included Bloody Kids, My Beautiful Laundrette, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid. He then went on to a prolific career with small movies in England (Liam, The Deal) with big budget features in the US, The Grifters, The Hi- Lo Country, It has an excellent cast led by Glenn Close, an Oscar nominee for her sinister performance as Madame de Merteuil. John Malkovich is overly American-sounding in his portrayal of Vicomte de Valmont. Michelle Pfeiffer also received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Madame d'Tourvel. Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman were at the beginning of their very successful movie careers.

The film looks beautifully elegant - a surface glitter of morals and manners for depths of decline and depravity. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Film of 1988 - and it is an absorbing and fascinating, while repelling, study of human nature and evil.

1. A portrait of evil, its impact?

2. 18th century background: novel, a play of the 1980s? Pre-Revolutionary? France, locations and chateaux, interiors, decor, costumes? Sense of period? Period-style score?

3. The transition from stage to screen: portrait of characters, in situations? Use of close-ups, tableau? Characters within the atmosphere? Angles? The comment on characters and situations by the style of filming?

4. The title: liaisons, relationships with power, motivation and reputation? Dangerous for those involved, for those as victims?

5. The surface elegance of the film: the use of colour, beauty? Sophistication and manners? Mannered elegance? Catholic piety? on the surface? Deeper malice, malevolence, evil? The use of power? Deceit, cruelty, passion?

6. Glenn Close's portrait of Madame: the opening with her applying the make-up, the sinister mile, her self-confidence? The explanation of her background, her hard life, her position in society? Her moral stances? Wealth, lovers? Her friendship With the Vicomte? Their meeting, the memories of the past, fencing, plotting together? The nature of her games, the revenge against a former lover? her deep-seated malice? Her entertaining her cousin and her daughter? Despising them? Cecile as victim? The nature of the revenge, Cecile as victim losing her virginity, as corrupted for her future husband? Her interest in the Vicomte's plan? Their conferring together, her demanding proof and letters? The visit to the opera, seeing the Chevalier Danceny, arranging for the music lessons, her entrance, introducing him to Cecile, during the lesson and turning up her nose? The furthering of the plot with the Vicomte and Madame d'Tourvel? The encounter with the Vicomte, still demanding the proof? Her haughtiness, seeing the Vicomte -in love, cruelty and mercilessness? Her theory of cruelty? Her story about the man using the excuse, 'Beyond my control'? Making the Vicomte subservient? His death? Her relationship with Danceny and using him against Cecile? Her achieving all her plans with Madame d'Tourvel's death? Her going to the opera, her being hissed and leaving? Her anger and weeping? The finale and the moral judgment as she took off her make-up and shed a tear? A wicked woman, her using Cecile and instructing her -in sexual corruption? Cecile growing up to be like Madame?

7. John Malkovich's style as the Vicomte: his age, position in society, a man in pre-Revolution society compared with a woman who had to struggle for her position like Madame? His past, his reputation? An elegant rake? His motive for corrupting Madame dTourvel? her goodness and piety and his resentment, the challenge? Madame as his equal or not? His finding no challenge in Cecile's corruption? Going to visit his aunt. Madame and her devices, the hypocrisy? Hunting and paying the poor family? To impress Madame d'Tourvel? Using his servant and the blackmail of the maid, getting the letters, discovering who was informing Madame dTourvel about him, his revenge on Cecile's mother? His not going to the sacrament - and explaining this to Madame? His truth and falsehood in his dealings with tier? Expressing passion, love, denying himself? Her asking to leave and his doing so? His arrangements with Cecile, Danceny and the key? His sexual conquering of her and blackmail? His initiating and using her? His liaison with and writing the letter on her back to Madame d'Tourvel? The irony of Emily's later meeting Madayne? The conferences with Madame and his achieving part of the bargain, Cecile pregnant as well? Cecile's miscarriage? Madame wanting the written proof? The Vicomte's return to his aunt's chateau, the interchange with Cecile and her mother? The walks with Madame d'Tourvel, the declarations of love, wearing her down? her fears, dismissing him in the night? Her finally succumbing to him, her passion? His victory? His rejecting of her, the 'beyond my control' story after four months? Her illness? His subservience to Madame? Danceny and Madame together, his insulting 14darie, the duel with Danceny, his being wounded? His commissioning him for a message to Madame d'Tourvel, his death? His giving in, the possibility of redemption?

8. Madame d'Tourvel and her virtue, censorious attitudes, at the Vicomte's aunt's house, the advice from Cecile's mother? Walking with the Vicomte, offering his service to the poor, her servant betraying her with the letters? The infatuation yet asking him to leave? His return to the house? Her strength and her weakness, her ambition, friendship, giving in, weeping, passionate? Her being hurt by his abandoning her? her illness, the bleeding, the hot glasses? Her death after the message from Danceny? Her tragedy in the corruption of virtue?

9. Cecile and her mother: Cecile emerging from the convent into the world, corrupt society, elegance? Her mother and her protection? The visit with Madame, going to the Vicomte's aunt? The mother writing the letters to warn Madame dTourvel? The opera, the music lessons? Cecile in love with Danceny? The corruption by the Vicomte as giving her her letters, the incident with the key? The sexual blackmail? Her going to Madame and Madame's corruption? The behaviour with the Vicomte? His corrupting her for her husband, for Danceny? Her writing the letter on the Vicomte's back? her pregnancy, the miscarriage? Corrupted - and a future Madame?

10. The Vicomte's servant, sharing in his master's evil, his malice? The corruption of Madame d'Tourvel's servant? The blackmail for the letters? Following and spying? Sharing in evil?

11. Emily as the courtesan, her liaison with the Vicomte, his writing the letter on her back, the visit and the encounter with Madame d'Tourvel and the Vicomte's story about her generosity to the poor?

12. Danceny and his music, in love with Cecile, the lessons, seduced by Madame, following her, his loyalty to her, yet his love for Cecile, the honour and the challenge to the duel, his fight with the Vicomte, delivering the Vicomte's message?

13. Why is a portrait of such evil so fascinating while repelling?