Index | Of Cruel Intentions

Feature: Index — Cruel Intentions

Logline

A modern, character-driven feature unpacking how Cruel Intentions — the 1999 teen drama adapted from Les Liaisons Dangereuses — became a cultural touchstone, exploring its themes of manipulation, sexual politics, class, and queer subtext through interviews, archival research, and cinematic analysis.

B. Character Index

| Character | Portrayed By | Role Description | |-----------|--------------|------------------| | Kathryn Merteuil | Sarah Michelle Gellar | Wealthy, manipulative NYC teen who makes a bet to corrupt the innocent | | Sebastian Valmont | Ryan Phillippe | Stepbrother of Kathryn, known for seducing and discarding virgins | | Annette Hargrove | Reese Witherspoon | Headmaster’s virtuous daughter, Sebastian’s target and eventual love | | Cecile Caldwell | Selma Blair | Naive new girl, Kathryn’s piano student, target of Sebastian’s bet | | Ronald “Blaine” Tuttle | Joshua Jackson | Cecile’s ex-boyfriend, seeks revenge on Sebastian | | Greg McConnell | Eric Mabius | Cecile’s new love interest | | Helen Rosemond | Louise Fletcher | Headmaster’s wife, Annette’s mother | | Bunny Caldwell | Christine Baranski | Cecile’s socialite mother | | Sebastian’s Father (voice) | Swoosie Kurtz | Mentioned, never appears |

He hit Enter.

A. Psychological Index of Cruel Intentions

• Instrumental Cruelty: Using emotional pain as a tool for personal gain.
• Sadistic Pleasure: Enjoying another’s humiliation.
• Gaslighting: Making the victim doubt their own reality.
• Social Sabotage: Ruining reputations through lies.

Title: The Devil’s Dictionary: Deconstructing the "Index of Cruel Intentions"

It assigned a score. A score that determined if you were a citizen, a suspect, or a disappeared. Index Of Cruel Intentions

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Themes & subtext (450–600 words)

universe—from the cult classic 1999 film to the 2024 Prime Video series. A — The Annette Bet