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Valmont
1989 137 min France, United Kingdom R 18+
★7.0
Drama, Romance
Director: Milos Forman
🎭 Based on
«Les Liaisons dangereuses»
byPierre Choderlos de Laclos
Trailers
Description
Set in Baroque France, a scheming widow and her lover make a bet regarding the corruption of a recently married woman. The lover, Valmont, bets that he can seduce her, even though she is an honorable woman. If he wins, he can have his lover to do as he will. However, in the process of seducing the married woman, Valmont falls in love.
Budget:
$33M
US Gross:
$1.13M
Worldwide:
$1.13M
Starring
Colin Firth
Actor
Annette Bening
Actor
Meg Tilly
Actor
Awards
César Awards 1990
— Best Costume Design
César Awards 1990
— Best Production Design
BAFTA 1992
— Best Costume Design
César Awards 1990
— Best Poster
César Awards 1990
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1990
— Best Costume Design
Key opinion
Miloš Forman’s 'Valmont' is widely celebrated for its vibrant, humanistic approach to the classic Laclos novel, offering a lighter and more emotionally accessible alternative to other adaptations. While some viewers feel the screenplay lacks the depth of the original text, most praise the film for its authentic period atmosphere and the nuanced performances of its lead ensemble.
| Production | The production design and costumes create a rich, immersive atmosphere that authentically captures the intrigue and aesthetics of 18th-century European elite society. | |
| Acting | Annette Bening and Colin Firth provide compelling performances, grounding their characters in human complexity rather than mere villainy. | |
| Emotion | The film succeeds in conveying genuine emotional stakes, evoking sympathy for the characters despite their moral ambiguity. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided: some appreciate the adaptation’s lively, light-hearted tone and humanized character motivations, while others feel it sacrifices the thematic depth and structural coherence of the original novel. |