LISTS… Star Trekking through Christopher Plummer’s Film Universe

#1960s #1970s #1980s #AllPosts

 

Three film favourites are found between his first, Encounter (1953) to his more recent, Departure (2019)…

 

Looking at those most loved roles that would be from Christopher Plummer.

 

In Somewhere in Time

In International Velvet

 

I was devastated to learn of the passing of one of my favourite actors, the talented and gifted Christopher Plummer. He was still working at 91, and this after seven decades of performances on the big and wee screen and on stage.

Regular readers will know that I’ve reviewed this actor in many of his movies after starting this blog. Plummer appeared in three of my favourite movies which I’ve loved since I was a wee girl. These were three very different films and three very different characters which show his versatility as an actor.

Since then I’ve watched – and now reviewed – a whole lot more, but I’m going to write about these three now and add some of my honourable mentions later.

 

The Sound of Music…

Maria and the Captain dance the Laendler from the Sound of Music in HD, Fandom Movies

Like many in the UK, I’d been brought up with seeing him every year in the annual showing of The Sound of Music (1965). Here Plummer was convincing as the stern – yet dashingly handsome – Austrian Naval Captain Von Trapp who then became a big softy after he fell for Maria (Julie Andrews), the governess of his seven children. With just a couple of wee problems, she’s a novice nun and he’s engaged to a baroness (Eleanor Parker). 

But there is an obvious growing attraction between the Captain and the (singing) nun. And who can blame her? Many years later I must admit I had a wee bit of a crush on him too. Things are blatantly obvious and not just for the way he danced with Maria at his ball. I did feel like the Baroness’s days were numbered as his then fiancee. This, especially as Maria and his kids, got on so well, despite the fact she made their clothes out of old curtains. (More on this film HERE, his “singing” HERE and the house (and film) HERE)

 

Somewhere in Time…

Somewhere in Time – Elise Macknna VS Robinson [HD], Antonhy Cézar Curtis

Another film favourite is Somewhere in Time (1980) where an author, Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) in the then (film) present day falls for a portrait of an actress, Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour) while he is staying in a hotel. He wills himself back in time to earlier in the century to meet with her knowing that she will be visiting the same hotel with her theatre company.

Elise’s manager William Fawcett Robinson (Plummer with a rather villainous-looking goatee) has a bad feeling about Collier, thinking he will be the one who will ruin her career as an actress. Despite his warning both of them in different ways, Collier and Elise fall madly in love. There are lovely picturesque montages of them falling in love set to the Rhapsody of a Theme of Paganini. And soft-focus snogging.

After Fawcett Robinson finds out about their romance, he gets some of his men to beat Collier up leaving him battered and bruised. He then tells Elise he wasn’t the one and that he’s left. Collier thinks the theatre group have moved on, and that she’s gone with them. But will true love find a way? (CLICK HERE for the Spoiler filled post or HERE if you want to learn more about the film spoiler-free).

 

International Velvet…

International Velvet (1978) Official Trailer – Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Plummer Horse Movie HD, Movieclips Classic Trailers

The third and last of these movies is International Velvet (1978), a horsey film crossed with a coming of age movie. It’s a delightful film sequel to National Velvet. It tells of the older Grand National winner, Velvet Brown (Nanette Newman) and her live-in boyfriend, author John Seaton (Plummer). Velvet was disqualified for her win due to her then young age and her gender.

After her brother and his wife die in an accident abroad, Velvet takes in her orphaned Arizonan niece, Sarah (Tatum O’Neal). Sarah is horsey mad too and in time she and her horse head for the Olympics. Plummer is a supportive gem both as a character and as an actor on screen in this film. This is to both young Tatum O’Neal and Nanette Newman. 

He also has some really lovely chunky jumpers. His character has a lovely rapport with everyone. The ending is one you might need tissues for, as Plummer’s performance here always gets me sobbing in its heartfelt delivery. (My full film review is HERE)-

Other honourable mentions found in this blog for the character would be Christopher Plummer. There are more mentions of him as an actor in the Golden Hollywood Greats posts and in Italian-made movies with the Hoff and Caroline Munro in Starcrash (1978).  There are more villainous roles in Dreamscape (1984) and as a Shakespeare quoting villain in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). 

He’s Sherlock Holmes to James Mason’s Dr Watson tracking down Jack the Ripper in Murder by Decree (1979). He’s in another time travelling romance in The Lake House (2006) with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. So if you are now in the mood to track down more of Christopher Plummer’s career in film, just click on those links. I can guarantee it’s something good.

 

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