Plot
In 18th century France, the Marquise de Merteuil, a wealthy widow, learns that her secret lover Gercourt will marry Cécile de Volanges, a 15-year-old who was raised in a convent to ensure her chastity. It is rumored that Gercourt cannot easily break off relations with his "former" mistress who is mentally unbalanced. Angered over the hypocrisy of Gercourt's insistence on a virgin bride while keeping a lover of his own, his concealment of the upcoming marriage, and his slight of her character, Merteuil plans revenge.
She approaches her former lover, the womanizer Vicomte de Valmont, and proposes that he take Cécile's virginity before her wedding night to humiliate Gercourt. Valmont is not interested in Cécile, as he is pursuing Madame de Tourvel, a married woman. Tourvel, well known for her virtue, had been warned of Valmont's debauchery and deliberately avoids him. Merteuil makes Valmont a wager: if he succeeds in bedding Madame de Tourvel, he may also bed Merteuil; if he fails, he must consign himself to a monastery.
Meanwhile, Cécile's teenage music teacher, Danceny, starts writing love letters to Cécile, and the two fall in love. After learning of this, Merteuil attempts to create opportunities for the pair to consummate their love, but Cécile is too innocent and Danceny too honorable to take advantage. Frustrated, Merteuil takes Cécile on holiday to the country estate where Valmont had gone to pursue Tourvel. When Merteuil suggests that Valmont help Cécile write love letters, he complies, goes to Cécile's room and ends up taking her virginity. Afterwards, a guilt-wracked Cécile runs to Merteuil for comfort, believing that neither her future husband nor Danceny will want her now. Merteuil encourages the girl to marry Gercourt and keep Danceny as her lover.
Despite her many attempts to avoid Valmont, Tourvel is finally seduced and ends up making love with him. In the morning, she writes to her husband about her new lover, then leaves for the market to prepare a meal. When she returns, Valmont has already left.
To "reward" Valmont, Merteuil indifferently spreads herself on the bed and waits for him to get on with it, causing him to storm out. As revenge, he goes to Cécile and convinces her to write Danceny a letter. In it, she explains that Merteuil convinced her to cast Danceny as her lover instead of marrying him. Tourvel later comes to Valmont and spends the night, leaving before he wakes the next morning. Her loss causes him to realize he truly cared for her. He goes to Tourvel's residence to find she has reconciled with her husband. Valmont leaves roses for Tourvel on her unkempt bed and slips out without being seen.
Valmont returns to Merteuil and proposes marriage, saying they would be better off working together than against one another. She sadly reminds him that they were married once before and that any marriage between them could only end in betrayal. Merteuil then reveals that Danceny is in her bed; he had come to threaten her, but she seduced him and told him everything. Valmont leaves in a fury and goes to Cécile, suggesting they leave the country, so that Cécile will be free to love whom she chooses. Instead, Cécile reveals that she has confessed everything to her mother, who orders Valmont from the house.
The next day, Danceny challenges Valmont to a duel to avenge Cécile's honor. Valmont prepares for the duel by drinking himself into a stupor and arrives hung over. The honorable Danceny refuses to duel him in his condition and is willing to accept an apology. Instead, Valmont attacks, forcing Danceny to kill him in self-defense.
Valmont's funeral is filled with his former lovers, including Merteuil, who is devastated at the loss of her best friend and oldest rival. During it, Cécile reveals that she is carrying his child. The grieving Madame de Rosemonde, Valmont's aunt, is overjoyed by the news. Cécile and Gercourt are soon married in a grand ceremony, with Danceny surrounded by a pack of eligible young women. Meanwhile, Merteuil remains alone, having lost Gercourt, Danceny, and Valmont.
Some time later, Madame de Tourvel lovingly places a rose on Valmont's tomb before returning to her waiting husband.
