Second Intentions turns 25: 25 interesting facts about the film

Second thoughts turns 25 years old this March 5th. Released on the same date in 1999, the film would become a classic of 1990s teen cinema – which doesn’t mean, mind you, that it’s a good film.

Another adaptation of the original French book Les Liaisons Dangereusesfrom 1782, the film would be released just a decade after Dangerous Connections (1988) snatched Oscars with the same story. Here, however, the debutant director Roger Kumble it would renew the plot with a pop and contemporary bias, which would be the hallmark of the film and of a generation.

Starting with the cast, supported by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon It is Selma Blair – the greatest among the young talents of the time. Added to this is a genuinely good soundtrack, featuring the best of pop and Britpop from the 1990s in tracks handpicked by the director. Add a New York elite on steroids as a backdrop, a wet kiss between two young actresses – a shock! – and a script full of crude and beyond dubious sexuality and voilà! A sensation is born!

Far from being an acclaimed film – the Rolling Stone considered the production worthy of laughter at the time -, Second thoughts It is a film that captivates by its excess, almost by its absurdity. The performances are caricatured. The dialogues, surreal. Almost nothing ages well over time, and film would be unlikely to survive popular and digital scrutiny a quarter of a century later. But still, something worked. And now, 25 years later, we remember the production with 25 interesting facts about the plot, the score, the cast and behind the scenes.

The beginning

The film is an adaptation of the book Les Liaisons Dangereuseslaunched in 1782 by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

In addition to the French classic, the cult classic Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) also inspired the director and screenwriter Roger Kumblewho revealed that he had never seen anything like it, with a high school “as dark” and “as f*cked up” as the one portrayed in the film (via Cosmopolitan).

In 2016, Sarah Michelle Gellarposted a 1998 photo of the film’s first production dinner, with the full cast, and revealed that the original planned title would be Cruel Inventions – and not Cruel Intentionsas it eventually became.

The reason for changing the name of the film in the item above would have been because, in audience tests, Cruel Inventions would have been considered a science fiction title.

The cast

Roger Kumble begged Reese Witherspoon play Annette. After the collapse of Katie Holmesfirst choice for the role, the director asked Ryan Phillippe about his then-girlfriend, Witherspoon. The two then took her to dinner and they all ended up drunk, with Kumble on his knees begging the actress to be part of the project (via ABCnews).

The choice of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe as the protagonists was recommended by the producer Neal H. Moritzwho previously worked with the duo on I Know What You Did Last Summer.

In the scene where Kathryn and Sebastian leaf through the Seventeen Magazineat the beginning of the film, there is a call on the magazine cover about Jennifer Love-Hewittwho acted with the duo Phillippe and Gellar in I Know What You Did Last Summer.

A CosmopolitanKumble said that Selma Blair was chosen after auditioning for the role already characterized as Cecile. For contractual reasons, the actress had to be of legal age, so when the director asked how old Blair, then 26, was, she teased him in Cecile’s innocent voice: “How old are you?”

Christine Baranski, who plays socialite Bunny Caldwell, joined the cast just three days before recording. She ended up accepting the role because her daughters were fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and ended up excited about the chance to star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Kathryn) and Joshua Jackson (Blaine) had already acted together in Scream 2, released two years earlier. In the thriller, Sarah plays Cici Cooper and Joshua is uncredited, appearing only in one scene alongside Gellar.

Soundtrack

The reason the film’s soundtrack is so celebrated to this day is because Roger Kumble wrote it with specific music for each scene – an experience that would lead to him having difficulty obtaining royalties for the exact tracks. He recently revealed that this is a decision he regrets to this day: “I wouldn’t recommend anyone to do that, ever” (via The Independent).

The final scene, perfectly accompanied by the track “Bittersweet Symphony”of The Verve, ended up becoming a headache for the production – and costing approximately one million dollars, or 10% of the film’s total budget in royalties. This is because, at the time, The Verve had already been sued by the band’s former manager. Rolling Stones, Allen Kleinthrough the extended use of the “The Last Time” by the Stones – which greatly increased the licensing cost (via W Magazine).

With more than 10% of the film’s budget committed, a then inexperienced Kumble had to make a choice to compose the rest of the score. Initially, it would have closed with the seal Artist Recordswhich would have sent him several options, but which did not fit with his musical taste, heavily influenced by Britpop from the 1980s and 1990s. After the exclusivity agreement with the record company was broken, he was then approached by Virgin Recordswhich had names such as Blur It is Fatboy Slim. Remembering the The IndependentKumble says he was like a “dick in the trash”.

“Colorblind”of The Counting Crowsended up appearing on the film’s iconic soundtrack after Billy Corganof The Smashing Pumpkinsrefuse to yield lane “To Sheila” for the sex scene between Sebastian and Annette (via Cosmopolitan).

Brian Molkoof Placebowas not impressed with Second thoughts. To the The Independenthe recalled when they sent him a cut with the iconic introduction to the sound of “Every Me, Every You”and ended up leaving the film, telling his bandmate Stefan Olsdal: “That’s the deal: [Sebastian] must die in the end. AND [Kathryn] should be ostracized and publicly shamed. Otherwise we won’t do it” – which would end up being the exact end of the story.

Behind the Scenes

Despite playing high school contemporaries, Selma Blair and Reese Witherspoon are five years older than Sarah Michelle Gellar and three years older than Ryan Phillipe.

The relationship between Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon would become a marriage just three months after the release of the film. The two remained together for almost a decade, and the union would produce two children, but they would end up divorced in 2008.

Annette’s slap on Sebastian during a fight was real: the moment was improvised by Reese Witherspoon, generating a very genuine reaction from Ryan Phillippe.

So intense, the same fight scene above ended up causing Ryan Phillippe to vomit: “Reese and I had a fight scene and we had to say horrible things to each other for four hours straight. After that, I walked out and literally threw up. It was very emotionally punitive for me” (via mental floss).

Director Roger Kumble filmed a scene in which Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) actually attacks Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar). In the final cut, the moment is deleted, leaving the question of what drives Ronald lately (Sean Patrick Thomas) to the final fight with Sebastian.

Criticism, awards and adaptations

Second thoughts has 54% approval from critics and 80% from the public on Rotten Tomatoes; rating of 8.4 from the public on Metacritic; and a rating of 6.8/10 on IMDb.

Despite divided reviews, Second thoughts ended up being well received in youth awards, such as the MTV Movie Awardswith five nominations and two wins, and the Teen Choice Awardswith seven nominations and two wins.

One of the wins at the MTV Movie Awards was the award for Best kissfor the classic scene between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair.

Second thoughts it would be the first film directed by Roger Kumble and perhaps the biggest success of his career. He would later direct episodes of celebrated series such as Pretty Little Liars It is Suits.

In 2015, the NBC announced plans for a TV series based on Cruel Intentions. The argument revolved around Sebastian and Annette’s son and included the participation of Sarah Michelle Gellar reprising her role as Kathryn, but the series ended up shelved in the following (via moviefone).