Oh man! Christopher Plummer was one of the all-time greats! That voice was resplendent. There never was a false note in any performance I saw of his.

 

Obviously The Sound of Music was such a megahit that this is the performance he might be best known for (and it is a movie I love -- it is literally so perfect in all its moving parts: music, location, cinematography, story, casting). BTW, he couldn't stand that movie.

 

But two movies of his really stand out for me. One was The Fall of the Roman Empire, a 1964 Roman epic which failed at the box office, and starred Sophia Loren. He totally stole the show as evil Commodus who basically scratches his way to the throne, oozing with unspoken gay undertones and incestuous longing for La Loren. The Russell Crowe epic Gladiator is based in part on this movie, but I think Plummer played the villain role much more memorably than Joaquin Phoenix.

 

The other movie was Syriana. Small but pivotal role in an under-appreciated movie where he was basically the Bush Administration's kingmaker in the Middle East.

 

And one of his last roles was in Knives Out. I saw it in late 2019 in the movie theatre, and you couldn't take your eyes off him in the first 20 minutes of that movie. Experience and stage presence really shows out.

 

I'm told from a family member who saw him on stage that his craft there was extraordinary, too.

Edited February 5, 20214 yr by Cat

I know all the legends who have passed recently lived very long lives, and this is the time of year many older people pass away, but it is starting to feel eerie. 

 

I'm sure Christopher Plummer wouldn't want to be remembered for Sound of Music, but I will always have words of appreciation for the way he played the Captain slowly beginning to allow himself to be affectionate with his children, and falling in love with Maria. The little shrug of pride he gives Maria after he finishes singing feels so real in a way movies of this kind often do not.

I almost took for granted he'd be around. What a legend.

Christopher Plummer is really great in Spike Lee’s Inside Man too.

 

 

Christopher Plumber is one of those actors I think we all believe would be around forever. A very underrated exceptional actor.  His Oscar winning performance in Beginners I tend to think is a bit forgotten but in it's own way was groundbreaking.

 

I think my favorite role was his performance as Mike Wallace in The Insider. He captured Wallace perfectly - an arrogant SOB and cocky know-it-all and unbearably self righteous at times, but an incredible reporter.  He was never the same after this storyIMO and lost some credibility.

 

(1) The Insider - Mike Wallace berates CBS Corporate - YouTube

Edited February 5, 20214 yr by JaneAusten

3 hours ago, Vee said:

I almost took for granted he'd be around. What a legend.

 Same. He always seemed so vivacious in public appearances.

 

It's not been a good few days for "The Sound of Music".

The original Maria from the 1961 West End production, Jean Bayless, died on Friday, 88 years old.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-55962391

 

 

  

Henry Kissinger is almost 100, and Jim Baker will be 91 in a couple of months. 

Don't forget Jimmy Carter, who turned 96 a few months ago.

This year is starting off just like 2016 did. It's spooky.

 

One of my grandmother's all-time favorite movies was 1980's Somewhere in Time. His role wasn't a large one, but he made the most of his limited screen time.