Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous liaisons) is a famous novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. The book fascinates for its dark undertones. It is the story of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomete de Valmont, two characters whose games use sex as a weapon to humiliate and degrade others.

The novel has been made into a play by Christopher Hampton. It has also been filmed various times:

• in 1959 with Jeanne Moreau
• as Dangerous Liaisons in 1988 with Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer.
• in 1989 with the title of Valmont, starring Colin Firth and Annette Bening under the direction of Milos Forman.
• In 1999 a modern retelling of the story was filmed, with the title of Cruel Intentions, starring Ryan Philippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese Witherspoon.