Cruel Intentions (1999)
Coming Out at 5 March 1999 in theaters.
Drama, Romance
Cruel Intentions is teen romantic drama film written and directed by Roger Kumble and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film is an adaptation of the novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos in 1782, but set among wealthy teenagers attending high school in New York City instead of 18th-century France.
The film started as a smaller budget independent film, but was picked up by Columbia Pictures and released on March 5, 1999. Despite mixed critical reviews, the performances of Gellar, Philippe, and Witherspoon were praised. Cruel Intentions was a box office success, earning $76 million, with two direct-to-video films.
In an upscale New York City mansion, wealthy and popular teenager Kathryn Merteuil discusses her prep school with Mrs. Caldwell and her daughter, Cecile. Kathryn promises Mrs. Caldwell that she will look out for the naive Cecile. When Kathryn’s stepbrother Sebastian Valmont enters the room, Mrs. Caldwell reacts to him coldly and leaves with Cecile.
Kathryn tells Sebastian that she intends to use Cecile to take revenge on her ex-lover Court Reynolds, who dumped her for Cecile. Kathryn asks Sebastian to seduce Cecile, thereby spoiling her in Court’s eyes. Sebastian refuses because he is planning to seduce Annette Hargrove, the headmaster’s virgin daughter, who has published an essay in support of chastity until marriage.
Director: Roger Kumble
Writers: Choderlos de Laclos (novel), Roger Kumble
Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair, Louise Fletcher, Joshua Jackson, Eric Mabius
Cast:
Sarah Michelle Gellar | … | Kathryn Merteuil |
Ryan Phillippe | … | Sebastian Valmont |
Reese Witherspoon | … | Annette Hargrove |
Selma Blair | … | Cecile Caldwell |
Louise Fletcher | … | Helen Rosemond |
Joshua Jackson | … | Blaine Tuttle |
Eric Mabius | … | Greg McConnell |
Sean Patrick Thomas | … | Ronald Clifford |
Swoosie Kurtz | … | Dr. Greenbaum |
Christine Baranski | … | Bunny Caldwell |
Alaina Reed-Hall | … | Nurse |
Deborah Offner | … | Mrs. Michalak |
Tara Reid | … | Marci Greenbaum |
Herta Ware | … | Mrs. Sugarman |
Hiep Thi Le | … | Mai-Lee |
Charlie O’Connell | … | Court Reynolds |
Fred Norris | … | Meter Maid |
Ginger Williams | … | Clorissa |
Drew Snyder | … | Headmaster Hargrove |
Phil Hawn | … | Subway Pedestrian |
Jim Jenkins | … | Mr. Caldwell |
Guy Kochlani | … | Student |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia