Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

Dangerous Liaisons is a dark, elegant period drama of sexual intrigue and moral decay set among the aristocracy of 18th‑century France. The cunning Marquise de Merteuil and her roguish former lover, the Vicomte de Valmont, indulge in a cruel game of seduction: Merteuil wagers that Valmont can corrupt the innocent young bride‑to‑be Cécile de Volanges, while Valmont prizes the far greater challenge of winning the heart and body of the pious Madame de Tourvel. As plots are hatched, letters are forged and loyalties betrayed, each manipulation pulls more people into a spiral of humiliation and heartbreak. Viewers will experience a slowly tightening web of psychological warfare—tasteful period detail and seductive performances mask a ruthless calculus of power, revenge and sexual conquest. The film balances witty, acid dialogue with growing emotional intensity: seduction scenes become tests of will, promises turn to obsession, and what begins as calculated sport yields genuine passion and devastating jealousy. The atmosphere is sumptuous and tense, with cruelty and vulnerability colliding in ways that feel both shocking and inevitable. Expect a richly textured drama about the costs of cruelty and the hypocrisy of a decadent society—elegant costumes and polished manners framing a story of manipulation that ends in ruin. It’s as much an intellectual duel as an erotic thriller, leaving viewers unsettled by how thoroughly the players’ games destroy themselves and those around them.

Actors: Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer

Director: Stephen Frears

Runtime: 119 min

Genres: Drama, Romance

7.6 /10 74 /100 7.5 /10 7.5 /10