Kinématoscope

"L’habillement (haut les masques) du début et le démaquillage (bas les masques) de la Merteuil à la fin, le grand morceau de bravoure de l’opéra où elle fuit sous les quolibets, le montage parallèle du duel de Valmont et de l’agonie de Mme de Tourvel, sont autant de procédés un peu expéditifs pour résoudre - là où justement la mise en scène devrait s’aérer, les décors s’estomper, voir l’envers des miroirs et des apparences, laisser un instant le temps suspendu, - le silence et l’espace d’où pourrait enfin naître le Mystère." (Fr. Strauss)
"L'ambiguïté du dénouement est écartée au profit d'une lecture romantique et passionnelle." (Michel Delon)

Voici comment est transposée la célèbre lettre 141, dans laquelle Mme de Merteuil suggère à Valmont le modèle d'une lettre de rupture - "Ce n'est pas ma faute"- que celui-ci s'empressera d'envoyer à Mme de Tourvel :

Scène Valmont/Merteuil
– I have a friend who had become involved with an entirely unsuitable woman. Whenever any of us pointed this out to him he invariably made the same feeble reply : « it’s beyond my control », he would say. He was on the verge of becoming a laughing stock. At which point another friend of mine, a woman, decided to speak to him seriously. She explained to him that his name was in danger of being ludicrously associated with this phrase for the rest of his life. So do you know what he did ?
– I feel sure you are about to tell me.
– He went round to see his mistress and bluntly announced he was leaving her. Well, as you can expect she protested vociferously. But to everything she said to every objection she made he simply replied : « it’s beyond my control. » Good night.

Scène Valmont/Tourvel
[…]
– Yes, at this moment for example, I’m quite convinced I’m never going to see you again.
– What ?
– I’m so bored, you see, it’s beyond my control.
– What do you mean ?
– Well, after all it’s been four months, so, what I said : « it’s beyond my control. »
– Do you mean you don’t love me anymore ?
– My love had great difficulty outlasting your virtue. It’s beyond my control.
– It’s that woman, isn’t it ?
– You are quite right, I’ve been deceiving you, with Emily among others. It’s… beyond my control.
– Why are you doing this ?
– There’s a woman, not Emily, another woman. A woman I adore. And I’m afraid she’s insisting that I give you up. It’s beyond my control.
– Liar, liar.
– You are quite right, I’m a liar. And it’s like your fidelity. A fact of life. No more no less. Irritating. Certainly beyond my control.
–Stop it, don’t keep saying that.
–Sorry, beyond my control. Why don’t you take another lover ? Whatever you like. It’s beyond my control.
– Do you want to kill me ?
– Listen, listen to me. You’ve given me great pleasure but I simply cannot bring myself to regret leaving you. It’s the way of the world. Quite beyond my control.