A watered-down reinterpretation of the hit 1980s psychosexual thriller. Fatal Liaison, available this Monday on Paramount +, is the remake of the film by Adrian Lyne. A reactionary, sexist erotic thriller that turned a single, sexually active woman into a horror-movie monster menacing the sacrosanct model of the average American family. The series, however, tries to erase the misogyny of Adrian Lyne’s film. Explanations
Remember the movie Fatal Liaison depicted the passionate parenthesis between two consenting adults, Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), accomplished lawyer, happy husband and fulfilled dad, and Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), single and independent publisher.
Sexist and reactionary source material
While it was only a one-night stand for him, the jealous and, inevitably, hysterical Alex began to harass him and threaten his lover’s family unit. The sexually free woman thus passed for a demonic slut, while the unfaithful husband, the victim of a madwoman, finally aroused sympathy and quickly obtained the forgiveness of his wife, who ended up killing the “bunny boiler”. that is, the dangerous and predatory woman.
Fatal Link garnered six Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and grossed over $150 million [près de 115 millions d’euros] while provoking the ire of feminists who are indignant at the sexist dimension of the feature film. Beneath its torrid airs, this film was part of a Puritan vein, condemning adultery and all forms of sexual freedom, in order to promote a family model that conforms to the norm.
Character psychology developed
While the film lasts two hours, the series stretches over eight hours and can afford to develop the psychology of the protagonists. “What interested me were the characters and their set-up. I wanted to go deeper into the why, the how and the what. What are the factors that make Dan an unfaithful man? What are the factors that make Alex not accept the ephemeral nature of their affair? “says screenwriter, showrunner and executive producer Alexandra Cunningham, that 20 minutes met at CannesSeries.
The series begins when Daniel Gallagher (Joshua Jackson) is released on parole after spending fifteen years in prison for the murder of Alexandra Forrest (Lizzy Caplan). He will try to reconnect with his wife Beth (Amanda Peet) and his daughter Ellen (Alyssa Jirrels), now a young psychology student. “I’m interested in psychology, trauma and trauma treatment. In the film, poor little Ellen cries, her pet is murdered, she is kidnapped, her parents separate… She suffers terrible things. I wondered how she had reacted. I wanted to see her as an adult, ”says Alexandra Cunningham.
Alex’s nervous vulnerability rather than hysteria
The series focuses on rehabilitating the character of Alex. Ellen’s research will lead her to reassess the behavior of her father’s sworn enemy. “When Paramount contacted me to make Fatal Liaison a series, I was initially going to say no, I had no intention of doing it. It’s such an iconic movie, it was terrifying. Then I watched it again and read interviews with Glenn Close who said that if someone was going to remake this movie, they would have to represent Alex’s point of view and say more about what’s going on with her,” continues Alexandra Cunningham.
Alex now benefits from a past explaining his sociopathic obsession. Fatal Link takes an interest in Alex’s mental health and the trauma she has suffered. To the hysteria of Glenn Close, the performance of Lizzie Caplan opposes a nervous vulnerability. “I wrote the role of Alex for Lizzie. She is the best at every level. I’ve always been a fan of Josh, but when I saw Doctor Death, it took it to the next level. He’s a great actor, with the hair of Michael Douglas,” comments the showrunner about the casting.
A Dan who questions his “responsibility”
For his part, Dan will lead the investigation to find out who really killed Alex and prove his innocence. Fatal Link introduces a few suspects and stretches its narrative by replaying the film from different viewpoints. These leaps in time also allow him to reflect on the harmful privileges and rights that precipitated his downfall: “We had room to put more responsibility. After fifteen years in prison, has he really learned anything? We tried to add a little responsibility to this character, but maybe not as much as he needs, ”analyzes Alexandra Cunningham.
Alas, even though the 2023 version studiously tries to fix the problematic aspects of the 1987 film, at the end of the day it’s still about a woman who will try to destroy a man’s life after a brief connection. And in the end, always a fiction that plays on the fear of a woman who loses control…