Valmont: the rereading of Dangerous Liaisons by Miloš Forman

The 1989 classic returns to Arte, and in replay for a week.

This evening Arte will offer two cult films about thwarted love stories: Die to love (1971), by André Cayatte then Valmont (1989), by Milos Forman. Two works already visible in replay, and for free, on the channel’s website. To see the drama with Annie Girdardot, it’s hereand for the one worn by Colin Firth, it is by there.

Chaderlos de Laclos revised and corrected

With ValmontMiloš Forman adapts very freely Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos and revisits the plots hatched by the Marquise de Merteuil and the Viscount de Valmont, in the name of queenly seduction. It was during his studies at university that Forman discovered this novel before erasing it somewhat from his memory until that day in 1987 when he discovered, on the advice of his agent, its theatrical adaptation by Christopher Hampton . Forman then struggles to find a successor to his Amadeus and, rereading Dangerous Liaisonshe understands that he has his rare pearl. But rather than bringing Hampton’s play to the screen, he chose to deliver his own version, in writing collaboration with Jean-Claude Carrière, whom he found again 18 years later Taking off. And strives to imagine with him what does not appear in the letters of this epistolary novel.

Nothing is entirely authentic in Amadeus, except the pure genius of Mozart

A story of friendship

Valmont is produced by Claude Berri, a long-time friend of Forman who changed the course of his destiny in 1967 when the filmmaker was on the verge of going to prison. Following an artistic disagreement over Firefighters!the Italian co-producer of the film, Carlo Ponti, had in fact claimed from the Czech authorities – the majority financier of the project – the 85,000 dollars he had invested. Forman was then accused of “sabotage of the socialist economy” possibly synonymous with ten years behind bars. Until Berri (with François Truffaut) bought the rights to the film before, in May 68, going to pick up Forman’s family with Truffaut’s car to exfiltrate them towards France, while Russian tanks entered Prague.

From this unwavering bond, a film would one day be born. It will therefore be Valmont where, again, Berri does not let Forman down even when they learn that Stephen Frears has purchased the rights to Christopher Hampton’s play and will complete Dangerous Liaisons before Forman had completed Valmont. “I was expecting a phone call from Claude telling me ‘Sorry Miloš but we can’t take the risk.’ He didn’t do anything about it and I will be eternally grateful to him.” will declare at the release of the film Forman in First.

Michelle Pfeiffer torn

The freedom given to Forman by Berri is also found in the choice of the casting that the latter brought together in front of his camera for Valmontstarting with its two headliners then little known to the general public. Forman searched for his Valmont for a long time, even to the point of thinking about postponing filming for a while. David Duchovny, who so far only appeared in Working girlwas one of the many actors rejected before Colin Firth arrived in casting. He too has little experience on the big screen. Just four films, including Another country: story of a betrayal by Marek Kanievska and A month in the countryside by Pat O’Connor. But at the auditions, he won out thanks to the quality of his playing, his charm and his intelligence, Forman explained. As for Merteuil, it was a source of long hesitation for Michelle Pfeiffer who was offered at the same time the role of Madame de Tourvel with Stephen Frears. By choosing to join John Malkovich and Glenn Close in Dangerous connectionsshe left the field open to an American actress familiar with Broadway but without any experience in cinema: Annette Bening. “I liked her because she combines the qualities of a star and an actress with character” Forman will point out. And the one who had never set foot in Europe therefore finds herself playing a French aristocrat. And two years later, she was nominated for the Oscar for best actress for the first time for The Scammersdirected by… Stephen Frears! Cinema is definitely a very small world.

Colin Firth: “You take the guy from Bridget Jones and you make him an action hero”