Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

93% of critics liked it
(27 reviews)
84% of users liked it
(42,470 ratings)

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… More 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. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr.
Directed By: Stephen Frears
Written By: Christopher Hampton
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1988 Wide
On DVD: May 1, 2001
Studio: Warner Home Video

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
This incisive study of sex as an arena for manipulative power games takes too long to catch fire and suffers from a deficient central performance.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
The creepy plot still holds a certain fascination.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Witty, entertaining, if occasionally overripe.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Director Stephen Frears accelerates entertainingly through Christopher Hampton's wig-and-powder sado-comedy about sexual mind games in 18th-century France.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Tantalizingly wicked -- watching it makes the color rise to your cheeks.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
An absorbing and seductive movie.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Emotional cruelty through sexual manipulation is the rule of the game of this smooth transfer of Christopher Hampton's witty play, with an all-American cast, headed by Glenn Close and Michelle Pfeiffer.
, Time Out
A sombre, manipulative affair in which the dÃ (C)cor is never allowed to usurp our interest.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
Splendid... full of deliciously devious characters
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
For a tragedy that carries a strong emotional kick, it's wickedly fun.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Close, Malkovich e Pfeiffer aproveitam ao máximo seus fascinantes personagens e os diálogos afiados do roteiro de Hampton, mas o filme é um pouco mais frio do que deveria.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
Wicked and well-appointed, this is a deliriously sinful costume a drama.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Its vernacular style allows the film to connect easily with present-day morals, sexual politics, and thirst for power.
James Rocchi, Netflix
Stephen Frears' direction is superb -- the design and lighting evoke simultaneous worlds of privilege and squalor, and while the nature of day-to-day life in 18th century France becomes readily apparent, it never becomes distracting.
Chuck Rudolph, Matinee Magazine
Perhaps the juciest adaptation of the story that one could hope for.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jennifer D

I love France in this time.... pretty dresses. I found it very intriguing and seductive. Proves once more Glenn Close is astonishing and that Keanu Reeves actually has had a good role in his life. WOW.
Morgan S

good plot JOHN MALKOVICH is a strange actor... he kept the same face the entire time!!! he never showed emotion evan when he died!
Drew S

This is basically Elizabeth, if Elizabeth were an old slutty manipulatress. I know it's a good movie and technically impressive and all that shit that bodice-rippers always are, but these films always deal with the exact same themes. "lol the hidden strength of a woman"… More
This is basically Elizabeth, if Elizabeth were an old slutty manipulatress. I know it's a good movie and technically impressive and all that shit that bodice-rippers always are, but these films always deal with the exact same themes. "lol the hidden strength of a woman" "lol the heart plays by no rules" "lol even the most dignified man is still a beast" Come on, now. Mix things up a little bit. The highlight of the film remains John Malkovich, a chilling sociopath who's out to ruin as many lives as possible just for personal challenge. His performance is a study in how to properly exude inexpressiveness - the perverse, confused smiles, and the declarations of love that are totally hollow even when he doesn't mean them to be. It is almost terrifying. Glenn Close is also capable, though the character is no new take on the Imperial Dragon Lady. Uma Thurman and Michelle Pfeiffer fade away, the latter especially surprisingly considering she picked up a Supporting Actress nod. And Keanu Reeves...*sigh* That performance in The Gift is looking more and more like a fluke every day. Anyway, Dangerous Liaisons isn't bad. It's just nothing special. Another example of the Oscars drinking the Period Piece Koolaid. There's a bit of humor, and a bit of nastiness and a bit of violence and a whole lot of lust, and it makes the movie watchable but nothing even remotely near art or auteurial. If you're not totally sick of these films yet, I guess this is a good place to go.
xGary X

Manipulative aristocrats John Malkovich and Glenn Close engage in sexual conquest and gender warfare beneath the outward formality and respectability of 18th century France. Valmont was the part that propelled Malkovich into the big leagues and is the part he was born to play. He… More
Manipulative aristocrats John Malkovich and Glenn Close engage in sexual conquest and gender warfare beneath the outward formality and respectability of 18th century France. Valmont was the part that propelled Malkovich into the big leagues and is the part he was born to play. He treads the line perfectly between caddishness and charm as he seduces and beds every woman he encounters for the thrill of the chase, and shows great skill and subtlety in making such a despicable and morally weak character sympathetic toward the end of the film. All the best scenes are of course concerned with the verbal sparring between Valmont and the bitter and calculating Marquise played with equal skill by Close, but Michelle Pfeiffer's sensitive performance and porcelain beauty also paint a believable picture of a woman who would melt the heart of even such a cold-hearted Casanova. The direction is a little flat belying its roots as a stage play and the cinematography a little drab by today's standards, but the witty and perceptive script and excellent performances by the three leads make it well worth a look even for those not enamoured by period drama.
Candy R

This movie is based on a novel, set in 18th century France. Two similar characters - Merteuil (Glenn Close) and Valmont (John Malkovich) scheme and manipulate to get their own revenge and desires with disastrous consequences. The movie has fab costumes. Great plot and cast. It's… More
This movie is based on a novel, set in 18th century France. Two similar characters - Merteuil (Glenn Close) and Valmont (John Malkovich) scheme and manipulate to get their own revenge and desires with disastrous consequences. The movie has fab costumes. Great plot and cast. It's very theatrical.
Alice S

Seeing "Cruel Intentions" first kinda took the bloom off the rose for this film. Not that I love the prior or anything, I just knew what was going to happen and while Close and Malkovich are awesome, I'm just not die-hard fans of theirs.
Mason W

This is a lovely period piece with power houses; Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, and John Malkovich. The story of wealthy individuals in 18th Century Europe with a bet. Can a man bed and make a woman fall in love with him...even though he has no intentions...it is pure evil the length… More
This is a lovely period piece with power houses; Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, and John Malkovich. The story of wealthy individuals in 18th Century Europe with a bet. Can a man bed and make a woman fall in love with him...even though he has no intentions...it is pure evil the length they go to. This is very well acted along with great filming location of the grand palaces of the time and costumes...great job!
Jennifer X

it's SO wickedly amaazing. i was like rolling with desire for john malkovich, and i generally think he's a creepy man. michelle pfeiffer is beauutiful. unfortunately i think i would have enjoyed this movie more had i not seen the vastly inferior cruel intentions first.
Michael G

Not bad, not great. Just kind of there.
Jeffrey M

A solid period piece that also works as an absorbing character study, thanks to an excellent performance from the enigmatic John Malkovich. It does suffer from an overly slow pace, but is generally outweighed by the strong script and well designed scenery. The dynamic between… More
A solid period piece that also works as an absorbing character study, thanks to an excellent performance from the enigmatic John Malkovich. It does suffer from an overly slow pace, but is generally outweighed by the strong script and well designed scenery. The dynamic between Malkovich and Glenn Close also left something to be desired, but there's enough there to care about both characters. Overall, it has a bit of a slow middle act, but once it builds momentum, it pays off well for the melodramatic ending. 3.5/5 Stars
Mark K

I'm reviewing this now years after seeing it for the first time. It curious how I thought this was an awesome film at the time, but on repeated viewings, I've liked it less and less. Not for the story or the plot, it's a nasty game of sexual manipulation that could be… More
I'm reviewing this now years after seeing it for the first time. It curious how I thought this was an awesome film at the time, but on repeated viewings, I've liked it less and less. Not for the story or the plot, it's a nasty game of sexual manipulation that could be as true today as it was in the Louis period. However, now the actors really bother me, all except Glenn Close, and strangely Keanu Reeves. I still think Frears did a great job with this bunch, but it doesn't fascinate me as it once did. I've seen crackling stage productions now that put it to shame.
Alec B

It becomes less believable as the film progresses, but I'm always up for a good tale of depravity and revenge.
Sunil J

A
Erin C

Very good acting. The story wasn't the greatest, but it was still interesting.
Robert F

Dangerous Liaisons dragged on for quite a while - they always seemed to be doing the same things and the stakes were never raised or anything. I liked Glenn Close - her reactions to people when they weren't looking were priceless. It wouldn't be my favourite character… More
Dangerous Liaisons dragged on for quite a while - they always seemed to be doing the same things and the stakes were never raised or anything. I liked Glenn Close - her reactions to people when they weren't looking were priceless. It wouldn't be my favourite character she's played, though. The costumes were really great most of the time. But 18th Century French aristocratic life can be so boring, and as such, there wasn't anything captivating about this film other than what I've mentioned. Oh, and by the way - Cruel Intentions was basically this entire movie, but set in modern times, right? I never knew that until watching this.
Leo L

Interesting film!
John M

The cruel ways two malevolent protagonists manipulate their targets and deceive others around them. Wicked and well-appointed.
Barry L

Love the sexual tension from Close amd Malkovich. Great film.
Moe E

The lying, cheating, manipulation, etc. between Glenn Close and John Malkovich w/ Michelle Pfeiffer caught between the two makes this one of my favorites. Oh yeah...Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves star, also.