Dangerous Liasons
I have to say the first time I saw this film I was inconsolable at the end and thought I would never ever get over it. It was the same the second and probably third time I saw it too. But it became like watching fawlty towers- you didn’t want to do it but you had to.
I still can’t work out who my favourite character is- John Malkovich, who has that wonderful ugly handsomeness about him, the weird piggy eyes, strange shaped mouth but a magnetism that pulls people in and leaves them breathless. Glenn Close as the most amazing evil woman who exudes sexual dominance and bitchyness. Michelle Pfeiffer who is the beautifully delicate woman who gives the best deathbed scene in movie history.
The plot weaves in and out of the fabulous lives of the rich and shows off the costumes and settings to perfection. The young Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman show their potential and blend in with the older actors magnificently. The final scenes where Malkovich and Pfeiffer die and he declares his love for her are so moving I am compelled to watch it over and over. The idea that the man would not want to live without the woman he adores has been the subject of stories for years, but the fact that she clings onto life only until she is told of his love for her makes it heartbreakingly beautiful.
What is it about sad films that make us happy to watch them over and over again clutching the ice cream pint like it were first aid supplies on a sinking ship? I always know how I am going to feel after I have watched it, and I know it takes me a while to recover form the emotional rollercoaster ti take me on- but I can’t resist. That final scene where Glenn Close is booed out of the Theatre and she goes home and wipes off the make-up is so powerful. A truly great film.