Roger Vadim

Choderlos de Laclos’ novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses was one of the triumphs of 18th century French literature, edgy, racy and deeply cynical. And when Stephen Frears’ directed a version of Christopher Hampton’s play from the book in a 1988 film, it was one of the triumphs of 1980s cinema. In between Roger Vadim decided that he’d have a go at it as well and in 1959 knocked out a movie starring Jeanne Moreau and Gérard Philipe. Of interest only to students of European cinema, it was a tepid update of the story that tried to be swinging and shocking and now looks very old-hat indeed; though it was apparently banned in Britain on first release. This is a copy of the screenplay, accompanied by a couple of hundred stills from the film.