Dangerous Liaisons
Lust. Seduction. Revenge. The game as you've never seen it played before.
Overview
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.
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
Dangerous Liaisons reflects anxieties about power and social control prevalent in the 1980s. The film, adapted from a 1782 novel, taps into a historical period of aristocratic excess and moral decay, serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of unchecked ambition and the abuse of power, themes resonating even in a contemporary context.
- Glenn Close's masterful performance as the manipulative Marquise de Merteuil is captivating and chilling.
- The intricate and scandalous plot, full of seduction, betrayal, and revenge, keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
- The film explores complex themes of power, morality, and the destructive nature of manipulation within the decadent French aristocracy.
- The lavish costumes and sets beautifully recreate the opulent atmosphere of pre-revolutionary France.
Fun Facts
- Michelle Pfeiffer almost didn't take the role of Madame de Tourvel because she felt it was too similar to her role in "Scarface".
- The film won three Academy Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, and Best Costume Design.
- Stephen Frears originally wanted to cast Annette Bening as Madame de Tourvel, but she was unavailable.
Available Languages
English
US
Title:
"Lust. Seduction. Revenge. The game as you've never seen it played before."
Deutsch
DE
Title: Gefährliche Liebschaften
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Türkçe
TR
Title: Tehlikeli İlişkiler
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Italiano
IT
Title: Le relazioni pericolose
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Français
FR
Title: Les Liaisons dangereuses
"Luxure, séduction, vengeance, une intrigue cruelle et rafinée"
Português
PT
Title: Ligações Perigosas
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Where to Watch
Cast
Crew
Reviews
"Dangerous Liaisons" is unquestionably one of the most captivating films to come along in quite some time. It is a visually stunning film and it makes extremely good use of some exceptional locations and interiors and the excruciatingly uncomfortable looking and cumbersome costumes are exquisitely authentic. Of course there are many people out there who will automatically shy away upon learning this is a period film and for good reason. Such films can by their very nature often be obscure and lack any meaning in the modern age. They are slow moving with arcane and unengaging dialogue and the tiresome plot can have no substance or consequence and it can lack momentum. This film has none of these failings and it is an incredibly well paced work of excellence throughout whose ensemble of characters go on the most unanticipated journeys to essentially the same destination: ruination.
Oscar Awards
Wins
ART DIRECTION - 1988
Stuart Craig, Gerard James
COSTUME DESIGN - 1988
James Acheson
WRITING (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) - 1988
Christopher Hampton
Nominations
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE - 1988
Glenn Close
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - 1988
Michelle Pfeiffer
MUSIC (Original Score) - 1988
George Fenton
BEST PICTURE - 1988
Norma Heyman, Hank Moonjean
Media
Featurette
Stephen Frears on Dangerous Liaisons | BFI
Trailer
Dangerous Liaisons (1988) Trailer
Featurette
Rain Man and Dangerous Liaisons Win Writing Awards: 1989 Oscars