Valmont (Film)
- Colin Firth: Valmont
- Annette Bening: Merteuil
- Meg Tilly: Madame de Tourvel
- Fairuza Balk: Cécile
- Siân Phillips: Madame de Volanges
- Jeffrey Jones: Gercourt
- Henry Thomas: Chevalier Danceny
- Fabia Drake: Madame de Monde Rose
- T.P. McKenna: Baron
- Isla Blair: Baroness
- Ian McNeice: Azolan
- Aleta Mitchell: Victoire
- Ronald Lacey: José
- Vincent Schiavelli: Jean
- Sandrine Dumas: Martine
- Sébastien Floche: Priest
- Antony Carrick: President de Tourvel
- Murray Gronwall: Market seller
Valmont is an American film directed by Miloš Forman in 1989. It is based on the epistolary novel Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos.
Action
The young Cécile is brought by her mother, Madame de Volanges, from the monastery. It is to be married. The naive and inexperienced Cécile holds fast to trust her older cousin Madame de Merteuil, which is to bring the name of the husband- in experience. For Merteuil, a rich widow, it is shocking to learn that none other than her lover Gercourt Cecile to marry. She swears revenge. Your friend Valmont to seduce Cecile and so Gercourt up in front of the company, but the uninterested in the plan. He tries in vain so far, the married and virtuous Madame de Tourvel to seduce. Merteuil who seeks Valmont on the castle his aunt Madame de Monde Rose, makes a bet with him that he is Madame de Tourvel can not seduce. If they lose, he can sleep with her. Should they win, to Valmont go to a monastery and confess all his sins. You are making a bet.
Back to Madame de Volanges found Madame de Merteuil the old woman in despair before: Cécile has received love letters from her harp teacher Danceny. Cécile Merteuil confesses that she is also in love with Danceny. Merteuil supports the correspondence between the two, but can at the same time Madame de Volanges find one of the letters. Cécile then receives house arrest and Danceny is dismissed. Merteuil is organizing a visit to the opera with Madame de Volanges and allows Cécile and Danceny a meeting where they can Cécile dress seductively. Danceny but uses only hours to Cécile recite a love song, but not for seduction. Merteuil change their plan and continues with Cécile in the country to Valmont's aunt. There Valmont has been advertised in vain for Madame de Tourvel. Only when he playfully turns to Cécile, awakens in Madame de Tourvel the passion and she flees to Paris. Meanwhile helps Valmont Cécile with a love letter to Danceny and sleeps shortly after with her. As Cécile be Merteuil reveals, this proposes to marry Gercourt and take Danceny as a lover.
As Valmont next morning learns that Madame de Tourvel has fled to Paris, he rides her. In her palace, the two meet and spend the night together. The next morning revealed Tourvel Valmont that they are already planning a future together, and I also taught her husband thereof in writing. Valmont returns immediately when she is shopping at the market, and leaves a letter in which he separates from her. At Madame de Merteuil arrived, he demands his betting a profit, but they denied him, he would not even gone to a monastery while losing. Both separate in dispute.
Valmont goes to Cécile and can compose, in which she writes of him Merteuils proposal to keep him as a lover a letter to Danceny. Danceny will appear angry at Merteuil and lets them write a letter of apology in which they withdraw its proposal at gunpoint. Later Valmont goes back to Merteuil and both seem to be reconciled. He even suggests a marriage - Merteuil shows him her bedroom, where she has just happily with Danceny, who now knows that Valmont has seduced Cécile. As Valmont wants to escape with Cécile, has already experienced all the backgrounds of Merteuil. Valmont is challenged and killed by Danceny to a duel. Cécile opened Valmont's aunt that she was pregnant by Valmont. In the end, however, her marriage to the unsuspecting Gercourt takes place. The grave Valmont visited only one - Madame de Tourvel who has reconciled with her husband.
Production
Valmont was on location in France. Locations covered include the Palace of Versailles, the Museum Nissim de Camondo, the Musée Vivant du Cheval, the Hôtel Amelot de Bisseuil and the Opéra -Comique in Paris. The property of Madame de Monde Rose was found in the castle of La Motte- Tilly in Nogent -sur -Seine, while the scenes of the marriage were filmed at the end of the film in St-Etienne de Caen. Other locations were Bordeaux and Meaux.
The film was released on November 17, 1989 in the American cinema, and ran on 14 December 1989 in Germany. As early as 1988 there had been with Dangerous Liaisons, a film adaptation of the novel by Choderlos de Laclos, in whose shadow Valmont was.
Criticism
The filmdienst called Valmont a " lush ausstaffierte [n ] Bilderbogen of a decadent society, lively and accessible but also something more superficial than the interpretation of the same substance by Stephen Frears ' Dangerous Liaisons. "
Cinema called the film a " frivolous intrigue in magnificent scenery ."
Awards
Valmont was the "Best Costume Design" nomination at the Academy Awards in 1990 for an Oscar in the category, but could not prevail against Henry V. himself. Also at the BAFTA Awards, the film received a nomination for Best Costume Design.
Valmont received the 1990 César in the categories " Best Costume Design" and " Best Art Direction " and was for two more César Awards, including the Best Director nominated. In 1992, Annette Bening won, among others, for her performance in the Valmont London Critics ' Circle Film Awards in the category " Best International youth development ".