18th Century France and the calculating and malicious Madame de Merteuil wishes revenge on her lover, who is set to marry the virginal and childish Cecile. To do this she enlists her old friend the playboy Valmont and in doing so makes a bet over his ability to bed the straight-laced Madame de Tourvel. However when Valmont sets out on his task the unexpected happens, he finds a heart, and this threatens de Merteuil's plans. Overshadowed by the simultaneous release of Stephen Frears' 'Dangerous Liaisons', which used the same source the novel, 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses', 'Valmont' is still a very impressive, energetic and humorous adaptation of the work.