Director:		Stephen Frears
Year:		1988
Language:		English
Time:		119 minutes

The film is set in France around 1760-1770. The Marquise de Merteuil needs a favour from her ex-lover, Vicomte de Valmont. One of her ex-lovers is planning on marrying a young, virtuous, woman called Cecile de Volanges. The Marquise would like Valmont to seduce Cecile before her wedding day. Meanwhile Valmont has a conquest of his own in mind, Madame de Tourvel, a beautiful, married, and God-fearing woman. The Marquise doesn't think that Valmont can do it, but she tells him that if he can provide written proof of a sexual encounter with Madame de Tourvel, she will offer him a reward, one last night with her. However, Valmont finds himself falling in love with Mme de Tourvel, thus triggering the deadly jealousy of the marquise de Merteuil.

This film, based on the French novel of the same name by Choderlos de Laclos, won the following Academy Awards: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It also won awards for best film at festivals in France, Spain, Belgium, and Germany.

Rated R for sexual content.

Links

Review of the film.

About the director, Stephen Frears.

About Laclos' novel.