I liked the Marquise's description of Valmont as a virtuoso of deceit, that was all too fitting, but was just as undeniably true of herself. The cat and mouse game that the Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) engaged in to whet the sexual appetite of Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) was cunning yet vile, and one has a difficult time placing these characters in an Eighteenth Century setting, as their machinations would have been perfectly at home in a Twentieth Century 'Dallas'. I would never have expected such inspired entertainment from such malevolent characters. Reviewed by classicsoncall 8 / 10 'I thought 'betrayal' was your favorite word.' When Merteuil learns that he has actually fallen in love with her, she refuses to let him claim his reward for seducing Cecile. He has little difficulty seducing Cecile but what he really wants is to seduce Madame de Tourvel. His reward for doing so will be to spend the night with Merteuil. Valmont is someone who measures success by the number of his conquests and Merteuil challenges him to seduce the soon to be married Cecile de Volanges and provide proof in writing of his success. In 18th century France, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont play a dangerous game of seduction.