Stream Selected Films of Christopher Plummer
Man in The Chair 2007 Directed by Michael Schroeder. A worthy Indie with fine Plummer. Cameron Kincaid (Michael Angarano) is a high school junior with a single friend and problematic home life that spurs him to act out. His great love is old films. When a contest for a film school scholarship comes up, the boy suddenly gets focused. Playing hooky in a theater one day, he hears Flash Madden (Christopher Plummer) talking back at the screen, then arguing with a couple who tell him to be quiet. “I’ve made more films than you’ve ever seen!” he rails.
Cameron tracks him down to The Motion Picture Residence for The Elderly, repeatedly approaching Flash asking for help with his film. Eventually he gets through to the bitter, bored former Gaffer (head electrician). For payment of Cuban cigars and Wild Turkey, Flash agrees to help. He begins by soliciting old friend screenwriter Mickey Hopkins (M. Emmet Walsh- terrific) who lives in disgracefully run down conditions at a nursing home. (His union didn’t provide for a better facility.) It turns out Mickey wrote films like The Outlaw and Roman Holiday.
Crew and creatives are garnered from the Motion Picture Home, elderly but highly skilled people happy to get back in the game. For funding, Flash approaches producer Taylor Moss (Robert Wagner), the only person he knows that has money, but against whom has a serious grudge. The rocky path includes run-ins with police, angry drunken binges, and development of a deep friendship. A film of redemption and the passing on of knowledge. (Some of the camera work is unnecessarily irritating. Hang in there.) Rent on Amazon Prime.
The Last Station 2010 Based on Jay Panini’s 1990 biography of Leo Tolstoy. Directed by Michael Hoffman. Tolstoy’s long suffering wife, Sofya (Helen Mirren), – a passionate, but ideologically oil and water liaison – and his most loyal disciple, Vladimir Chertikov (Paul Giamatti), battle to the death (Tolstoy’s death) for love and control of the eminent, bombastic, egotistical writer. Mirren is wonderful. Rent on Amazon Prime.
Beginners 2011 Directed by Mike Mills, based on the director’s father coming out at the age of 75. Oliver (Ewan McGregor) reflects back on the life of his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) during the five years after Hal’s wife’s death, until his own. Much to Oliver’s surprise, Hal not only comes out, but becomes active, social, happy, and establishes a romantic relationship with a much younger man. What used to be distant paternity becomes revelatory and close, opening Oliver to new possibilities of connection. Poignant and witty. AT 82, Plummer won his first and only Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for this role. Rent on Amazon Prime.
Barrymore 2013 Based on William Luce’s play of the same name. Directed by Eric Canuel. Plummer reprises his Tony Award winning role of John Barrymore, a part that might’ve been written for him. Scenery chewing is a requisite here as a drunken Barrymore convinces himself he’s coming to terms with his life and work. Filled with recollection, quotes, anecdotes, and rueful flailing. Watch free with Acorn Trial.
All the Money in the World 2017 Based on John Pearson’s book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty. Directed by Ridley Scott. The film depicts events surrounding the actual 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) in Italy; actions and lack thereof of the boy’s grandfather multi-billionaire J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer), the boy’s mother, Gail Harris (Michelle Williams), and his father, J.Paul Getty II (Andrew Buchan).
A convoluted tale of major family dysfunction and the cost of power. With Mark Wahlberg as Fletcher Chance, Gail and Getty’s advisor and Timothy Hutton as Getty’s attorney, Oswald Hinge. Messy. Getty Senior is horrific. Rent on Amazon Prime.
Boundaries 2018 Directed by Shana Feste. When Jack Jaconi Christopher Plummer) is thrown out of yet another nursing home for, among other things, dealing pot, , his daughter Laura (Vera Farmiga) and 14 year-old grandson Henry (Louis MacDougal) drive him from Texas to her sister Jo Jo’s (Kristin Schaal) in Los Angeles. Everywhere they stop, ostensibly to visit his friends, Jack deals and/or gets high. Relationships change appreciably. Better acting than writing. Rent on Amazon Prime
And, of course, The Sound of Music 1965
Top photo: Shutterstock
