VALMONT

UK/France, 1989, 137 minutes, Colour.
Annette Bening, Colin Firth, Meg Tilly, Fairuza Balk, Sian Philips, Jeffrey Jones, Henry Thomas, Fabia Drake.
Directed by Milos Forman.

Valmont was the second version of Les Liaisons Dangereuse by Choderlos de Laclos in the late '80s. 1988 brought Stephen Frear's version of Christopher Hampton's theatre adaptation starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich. This version was written by Jean Claude Carriere (sometime writer for Luis Bunuel and it is directed by Milos Forman in lavish style (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Hair, Ragtime, Amadeus).

While both films use the original novel and its characters closely, there is a vast difference between them. Dangerous Liaisons is a strong intellectual version of the story, enclosing the characters in a sealed world of power, manipulation and sexuality in a France on the verge of French Revolution. Forman's version is much more lavish, a pageant full of widescreen beauty. While there are the power games, the film is one of feeling for the characters and their plights - with little to suggest that the French Revolution is about to happen.

Forman's film is beautiful to look at (in the way that Amadeus was). He has an eclectic cast: very British Colin Firth (Another Country, 1919, Apartment Zero, Pride and Prejudice) as Valmont. Annette Bening is excellently lively as Madame de Merteuil. Meg Tilley is particularly American as Madame de Tourvel (despite putting on a Scandinavian accent for the Girl on a Swing). Fairuza Balk is the innocent Cecilia and Sian Phillips is her mother. There is a very good supporting cast led by Jeffrey Jones (the emperor in Forman's Amadeus). Young Henry Thomas (from ET, Misunderstood, Cloak and Dagger, Dreaming) is the tutor Dancenay.

Both films can be seen with great profit. (There was a modernised French version in 1959 by Roger Vadim, starring Gerard Philippe and Jeanne Moreau.)

The period music was directed by Sir Neville Marriner.

1. Two versions of Dangerous Liaisons in the late '80s? 20th century interest in pre-revolutionary manners and morals? The comparison of the two films?

2. The work of Milos Forman, Panavision photography, sumptuous presentation, pageantry, costumes and decor, choirs and opera, musical score?

3. The title and the focus on Valmont, on the games and relationships? The screenplay as `a free adaptation' of the original? An interpretation of the original?

4. The historical setting of the film? Any sense of the impending revolution? The picture of society, elegance, wealth, corruption? Power and will, sexual games? Love?

5. Audience judgment on the characters, their behaviour, motivation? The end?

6. Madame de Merteuil: her age, saucy liveliness, a vibrant woman? Widow? Her relationship with her cousin, chaperoning Cecilia, the playful relationship, the amoral touches, the opera and the introduction to Valmont? The puzzle about Cecilia's fiance? Her sensuous affair with Gercourt? Her discovering the truth about his marriage? The discovery, the effect on her emotions, her malicious plan? Her relationship with Valmont, wanting him to seduce Cecilia? His bet about Madame de Tourvel? Her being with Cecilia and her mother? Going to the country, with the aunt, with Madame de Tourvel? The taunts? Her observing matters in the country? The return to Paris, the news about Dancenay's letters? Her manipulation of Cecilia, writing the letters, encouraging the affair? Arranging the rendezvous? Her quick thinking when it was discovered and getting Cecilia to the opera to placate her mother? Connivance of her maid? Her listening to the story of Cecilia's seduction, encouraging and explaining? The loss of her bet with Valmont, her haughty refusal to repay, the speculations if he had lost? His tipping her out of the bath? Her anger? Growing hostility? Dancenay and the letter, the sword at her throat? Seduction of Dancenay? Trapping Cecilia and Dancenay? Her reaction to Valmont's death? Lost in the crowd, sad at the wedding?

7. Valmont and his place in society, the society rake, at the opera, meeting Cecilia? His relationship with Madame? The bet? Cecilia and helping her? The letter-writing, the seduction and its cruelty? The help of his servant? His courting of Madame de Tourvel, approaching her, the scene on the lake, falling into the lake? The meals and the sexual speculation? Her plea for him to go? Cecilia and her letters, Dancenay? The seduction of Madame de Tourvel, pursuing her to town? Her leaving? The effect on him and his seeming disdain? His going back to Madame, claiming his reward, her hostility? Setting up Dancenay to attack Madame with the sword? The duel challenge, his drinking, his final attempt to help Cecilia with buying the clothes and getting her to flee? The duel and his death? Grief at his funeral? The final focus on his tomb and Madame de Tourvel putting the flower there?

8. Cecilia and her mother, place in society, arranged weddings, discipline, the convent education and its being sheltered, Cecilia in the choir, informed about her marriage? Her friendship with Madame, trying to understand the marriage and the identity of her fiance? Dressing up, going to the opera, her naivety in meeting Valmont? 15 years old? The party, the fiance, preparation for the marriage? Dancenay and the playing and the singing? Her letters, locking her cabinet, lying to her mother, being exposed, the letter in the harp? Madame arranging the outing, the change to the seductive dress, yet her simply singing with Dancenay? Going back to the opera? Madame and her maid? The relief of her mother? The relationship with Valmont, writing the letters, allowing herself to be seduced? Talking things over with Madame, Madame's sexual education of her? The party, the fiance and the gift of the jewels? The king to be at her marriage? Her repeating about husbands and lovers? The possibility of going away with Dancenay, her being lost? Telling Valmont's aunt about her pregnancy? Weeping, the sumptuous marriage, the king's presence? Her mother satisfied? Her future?

9. Gercourt, his affair, lies to Madame, meeting at the party, the gift of the jewels, teaching fencing, the fight with Dancenay, the marriage and his discovery of Cecilia's pregnancy?

10. Madame de Tourvel, attractive, proper, age, walking in the grounds, courted by Valmont, his pretence of drowning, her uncomfortableness at the meals, asking him to leave, in love, succumbing to him, going to Paris, her leaving him? The end and the flower on his tomb? The effect of the relationship on her? Her marriage?

11. Dancenay and his age, singing, tutoring with the harp? His letters, the letter in the harp, his being banished? The fencing with Gercourt? The further letters, the help from Madame and Valmont? The tangle? The sword at Madame's throat? Seduced by her? The duel with Valmont and killing him?

12. Valmont's aunt, rich, absentminded yet shrewd, meeting Madame, Cecilia and her mother? Her enjoying the table chatter? Her shrewd observation? Grief at Valmont's death? Delight in Cecilia's pregnancy? The wink in the cathedral?

13. The servants and their helping their master and mistress? Conniving in the behaviour? Pressurised and caught by the rules of behaviour in the household?

14. An elegant and sensuous presentation of Dangerous Liaisons?