Valmont

Valmont

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Movie Reviews of Valmont

Movie Review: A Symphony of Malice in Masquerade
Summary: 5 Stars

For the fortunate uninitiated who still have this deliciously dark tale to view, "Valmont" has a simple enough story: Gercourt (the primal but possibly NOT the consummate schemer and betrayer of this story) ends his love affair with Madame de Merteuil. Madame de Merteuil learns why (and also the extent of time over which this breakup was PLANNED to happen) and smilingly decides upon vengeance. First, she enlists the "consummate master of the art of seduction" Valmont; then, she betrays her position as social custodian of the "so innocent, so unprepared" Cécile. Cécile has been kept in a convent/nunnery since the age of 11 until of an age to be married to ... guess whom? Yes! Gercourt (who "seems obsessed by Cécile's purity and virginity"). Madame de Merteuil's basic revenge for Gercourt is, as she informs Valmont, "I want to make him the laughing stock of Paris!" However, the revenge story is given almost psychopathic dimensions of malice once Madame de Merteuil and Valmont turn on each other! All this vengeance can be viewed against a backdrop that offers not only betrayed love, passionate romantic love, and blind youthful easily-abused love but, also, the full tragedy of unrecognized love!

The actors are great and grow more into character with each viewing but something more must be said about the radiance of Fabia Drake as Madame de Rosemonde! Cinema seldom offers such exquisite dignity, grandeur, and perfection of posture, expression and spoken script! She alone is worth the DVD admission price; yet, the same can be said of each actor/actress in the "Valmont" cast! Nonetheless, something more still needs to be said about Fabia Drake! She performs with some inexpressible artistic glory that, once seen, can actually be totally loved (yes, loved!) rather than simply admired in overwhelmed and entranced silence! Anyhow, to move on ... everyone in the excellent cast seems perfectly tuned, psychologically and emotionally, by Milos Forman, the director. Forman ensures every nuance of innocence collides and dances with every subtlety of malice until all conflict can only be resolved in the embrace of a greater drama and eventual tragedy/victory. The sheer mix in "Valmont" of patience, mystery, mastery, manipulation, humor, sadism, exhilaration, and despair; yet, such charm and civility too! Truly a dark emotional symphony by Milos Forman who received an Oscar for his direction of Amadeus. Arguably, he deserved equal or greater recognition for "Valmont" because he achieved so much more emotionally and psychologically with these characters. Who knows, though, perhaps Mozart's symphonic genius helped him find the tonal genius to orchestrate this charming and magnificent masquerade of vengeful malice! Great!

Summary of Valmont