Valmont (1989)
Review by Doc Ezra
Film:
DVD:

Written by Jean-Claude Carriere, “freely adapted” from the novel Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos De Laclos
Directed by Milos Forman
Starring Colin Firth, Annette Benning, Meg Tilly, Fairuza Balk, Sian Phillips, and Jeffrey Jones

Features:

• Theatrical trailer
  

Rating: R

Anamorphic: Yes

My advice: Buy Dangerous Liaisons. Skip this.

Ruthless philanderer Valmont and his equal and opposite number Madame de Merteuil are engaged in a devious wager--Valmont must successfully seduce the beautiful Madame de Tourvel, or lock himself away in a monastery, never to corrupt any woman’s innocence again. If he is successful, Merteuil will render her own body up to Valmont’s whims. Thus begins the complicated game of cat and mouse between the pair, using any and all of the people around them as pawns in their elaborate machinations. Merteuil is simultaneously seeking revenge against an acquaintance for engaging a maiden daughter to Merteuil’s lover, thereby robbing her of his affections. So she attempts to employ Valmont to deflower the daughter, making her fiancee (played admirably and thanklessly by Jeffrey Jones) the laughing-stock of Paris.

The story probably sounds familiar. It should--it’s been adapted to death in the past couple of decades, with at least two other major theatrical releases. Valmont never really stood a chance in such a crowded field. When released just one year after the much-lauded Dangerous Liaisons (nommed for six Oscars and winner of three), how could it? Colin Firth and Annette Benning are no slouches in the acting department, but their on-screen chemistry doesn’t quite hold a candle to John Malkovich and Glenn Close. Add to that the significantly weaker supporting cast of Meg Tilly and a very young Fairuza Balk compared to the other film's Uma Thurman and Michelle Pfeiffer, and it becomes fairly easy to see why everyone remembers Dangerous Liaisons first.

To its credit, it’s not at the bottom of the adaptation ladder (for that Forman can thank Cruel Intentions). The performances are good throughout, and the costuming, music, and sets are all gorgeous. But the screenplay adaptation itself, combined with some dubious directorial decisions, serve to sabotage the film’s chance at greatness before it even gets off the ground. With a title like Valmont, one would assume the bulk of the film’s action would revolve around the title character--but you’d be wrong. Forman spends more time on the relatively inconsequential puppy love between Balk's character and her harp teacher Chevalier than it does on the relationship between Valmont and Merteuil. This is emblematic of the film’s failings. Where Dangerous Liaisons understood that the most important thing to the story was the impossible relationship between Valmont and Merteuil, this movie doesn’t put its focus in the right place, and it gives the whole film a meandering, unfocused feel.

The DVD coverage is nothing special, with only the theatrical trailer included as any kind of added bonus. The video and audio quality are excellent, however, and that’s fairly important, as the film has mainly its beauty to recommend it. It can’t be denied that this is a pretty movie, but it just has too long a shadow to escape from to be counted a success. Fans of Merchant Ivory and period pieces in general should at the very least give this one a rental, but it will be the rare individual indeed that prefers it to the easily available alternative.