I think Michelle Pfeiffer is a great actress that seems to have been missing from our screens for far too long. She made a welcome and superb return in Stardust (Filmstalker review), and I for one want more.

So my wishes have been granted as an announcement appears that she is to star in a new Stephen Frears film on some familiar ground.

Cheri, not the Blair variety, is Stephen Frears new film adapted from the 1920’s novel by the French writer Colette (Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Play.com). At the time the novel was considered rather provocative, and I presume the modern filmed version will be too, particularly with Stephen Frears at the helm and Christopher Hampton writing, both of whom were behind another successful period drama starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Dangerous Liaisons.

I really loved that film, and knowing that the same team is behind Cheri has caught my attention. The news comes from Yahoo News.

The story is of a young man called Cheri, played by Rupert Friend, who is the son of a famed courtesan Madame Peloux, whom Kathy Bates is in negotiations to play. She sends him off to her friend and courtesan Lea de Lonval, played by Pfeiffer, who gives him a very adult education which lasts some six years, a tad longer than expected.

The affair is ended when he is forced to marry a wealthy woman, although presumably both try to continue the relationship.

The story sounds as strong and controversial as Dangerous Liaisons was, and that was a superb drama, one of my favourite films that I love going back to, so you can see why I’m already excited about this one.

Any other fans of Liaisons, Frears or Pfeiffer?