With an acting career that spanned over seven decades, it’s not surprising that Christopher Plummer is one of the few recipients of the “Triple Crown of Acting” who also has a Grammy nomination. That said, Plummer has acted in a variety of films, each one being proof of the skill and talent the actor has acquired throughout his career. Here are some of Christoper Plummer’s best performances to watch:
6 Up (2009)
Throughout his career, Plummer has explored a variety of different roles in films of different genres. His role as Charles F. Muntz in Pixar's hit animated feature Up is one example. Up follows a widowed old man, Carl, who goes on an adventure to Paradise Falls by tying a thousand balloons to his house. Just as he takes flight, Carl realizes that he has an unexpected passenger in the form of a young wilderness explorer, Russell. It is Plummer's character that inspires Carl and his late wife's dream of traveling to Paradise Falls. With this particular performance, Plummer shows his audience just how skilled he is. He's able to perfectly portray the viciousness of Muntz's character simply with his vocal performance.
5 A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Directed by Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind is a biographical drama film that follows the life of John Nash (Russell Crowe), a Nobel Laureate in Economics, who develops schizophrenia. Plummer plays a supporting role in A Beautiful Mind, as Dr. Rosen, the psychiatrist who is trying to help Nash and his family deal with the symptoms of schizophrenia. Even though Plummer does not get a lot of screen time, he makes the most of what he gets. It is Plummer’s Dr. Rosen who helps the audience realize that Nash’s reality differs from everyone else. A Beautiful Mind was a huge success, grossing over $313 million worldwide. It also won four Academy Awards.
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4 Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Based on a Stephen King book of the same name, Dolores Claiborne is a psychological thriller drama film. The movie explores the strained relationship between a mother, Dolores Claiborne, and her daughter, Selena St. George. The happenings in the film take place after Dolores is accused of murdering the elderly woman she’s been a care-provider of, prompting the return of her daughter, Selena. For the most part, the relationship between the two is explored through flashbacks. Plummer plays the part of Detective John Mackey, who is hellbent on proving that Dolores is guilty of murder. Whenever the audience starts believing that Dolores might be innocent, Plummer’s Detective John Mackey steps in to remind the audience to re-evaluate the situation. He pushes the audience to question Dolores's actions on various occasions.
3 All the Money in the World (2017)
Directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa, All the Money in the World centers around the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, a billionaire oil tycoon. Plummer plays the part of John’s grandfather, J. Paul Getty, who refuses to cooperate with the kidnappers and their antics. The role was initially meant to be played by Kevin Spacey, but after the sexual assault allegations made against him, Plummer was recast for the role. A total of twenty-two scenes were shot again, only a month prior to the actual release date.
There's no doubt that it is Plummer's performance as Getty that saves the whole movie. All the Money in the World, which may seem too mechanical and staged with the way the kidnapping takes place, is able to draw empathy from the audience, mostly through Plummer's Getty. It is Plummer's portrayal of Getty that allows the audience to view him as more than just simply a villain. The audience is able to see that there's more to him than what appears on the surface.
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2 The Sound of Music (1965)
Directed by Robert Wise, The Sound of Music is a classic musical drama film that stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film follows Maria, a young Austrian postulant who becomes a governess to a retired naval officer's seven children. Plummer plays the part of the retired naval officer, Captain von Trapp. In an interview, Plummer revealed that he had a hard time portraying sentimental roles, von Trapp being one of those. Captain von Trapp is definitely a bit different from his usual roles, which makes it all the more remarkable, seeing as the actor pushed past his comfort zone. Despite the difficulty, Plummer still did a spectacular job at portraying the captain, the lonely yet charismatic man who ends up falling for Maria. His musical numbers, especially "Edelweiss" are also quite entertaining to watch.
1 The Insider (1999)
Directed by Michael Man, The Insider may not have been a box office success, but it was critically acclaimed for its story, and the performance of the cast. The movie retells the real-life 60-Minute segment about Jeffery Wigland, who was a whistleblower in the tobacco industry. Wigland fought to ensure the public was aware of the inner workings of the corrupt tobacco industry. Plummer portrayed Mike Wallace, who was a real-life news anchor. The actor received quite a few nominations for Best Supporting Actor, including the National Society of Film Critics Awards. The film itself was nominated for seven Oscars. Critics claim that the film is a cinematic masterpiece that navigates through the politics of the media industry.