The 10 Greatest Films of Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer died this week, at the age of 91. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1929, but raised in Quebec. He began acting in high school and apprenticed with the Montreal Repertory Theatre. In 1953, he had his television debut costarring with Lorne Greene in Othelo. Around the same time he also had his Broadway debut in The Starcross Story. His film debut was in Sidney Lumet’s Stage Struck (1958). The same year he earned his first Emmy nomination for the live television drama Little Moon of Alban.
Christopher Plummer seemingly effortlessly glided back and forth between theater, television, and film. He received three Oscar nominations for his acting, winning in 2011 for Beginners (2010). He won two Tony Awards, an Emmy, and was nominated for a Grammy, coming just shy of the coveted EGOT. He had roles in 121 films, appeared in 16 shows on Broadway, and appeared in countless TV shows and television films. If you watch a lot of film, it’s almost a challenge to not see him in something on a monthly basis. Just last weekend, I watched him in The Return of the Pink Panther (1974).
While Christopher Plummer could disappear into a role, he had an amazing presence and gravitas, with a booming, distinguished voice and a stare that could transition from gleam to malevolence in a second.
What surprised me, while compiling this list, is how much of his greatest work was in his later years. He was still performing on Broadway at 77. He won an Oscar at 81 and was nominated again at 88. He starred in one of 2019’s greatest films, at 89. And with all of that, he will still forever be best known for a film he did in 1965, when he was 35. He was one of the last true legends of the silver screen.
10. The Last Station (2009) — Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer both deserved Oscars for this wonderful look at the last days of Leo Tolstoy. The script bounces around between his relationship with his wife and children and a battle to control the rights to his work.
“Despite good cause for it, I have never stopped loving you.” — Leo Tolstoy
9. All the Money in the World (2017) — Christopher Plummer was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in this film, a performance that becomes all the more impressive when one learns how it was achieved. This Ridley Scott film was originally made with Kevin Spacey in the role as J. Paul Getty, but then personal scandals resulted in Spacey being fired from the film. Christopher Plummer was brought in at the last minute, filming all of his scenes in nine days.
“There’s a purity to beautiful things that I’ve never been able to find in another human being.” — J. Paul Getty
8. The Insider (1999) — Director Michael Mann crafted this film out of the true story of a tobacco company employee that spoke out against the tobacco industries fraud upon the people. Christopher Plummer portrays real-life 60 Minutes journalist, Mike Wallace.
“Time? Bullshit! You corporate LACKEY! Who told you your incompetent little fingers had the requisite skills to edit me! I’m trying to band-aid a situation here, and you’re too dim to…” — Mike Wallace
7. Up (2009) — Christopher Plummer’s voice provides all the credibility needed for Charles Muntz to be the villain of this spectacular tale from Pixar.
“Adventure is out there!” — Charles Muntz
6. Inside Daisy Clover (1965) — This is an odd film, with directorial and editorial flaws, but great performances from Christopher Plummer, Natalie Wood, Robert Redford, and Roddy McDowell. The film is about a young actress becoming a star in 1930s Hollywood and the unpleasant aspects of that dream.
“I’m dismissing your nurse, and I’m giving you one hour to get out of that bed, get dressed, showered, perfumed, all by yourself, and then back to work.” — Raymond Swan
5. Murder By Decree (1979) — Christopher Plummer, James Mason, and Donald Sutherland star in this movie that puts Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson on the case of Jack the Ripper. Plummer plays Holmes. And here’s a bit of trivia for you, Christopher Plummer was the second cousin of Nigel Bruce, who played Dr. Watson in the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films.
“When people are frightened, they turn to God, and when they have no help from him, they look to the Devil.” — Sherlock Holmes
4. Beginners (2010) — Christopher Plummer finally won his Oscar for this film, in which he plays a recently widowed man, diagnosed with terminal cancer, who finally, after a life of maintaining a secret, decides to come out.
“…let’s say since you were little, and… and you… you always dreamed of… of someday getting a lion, and you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait, and the lion doesn’t come. Then along comes a giraffe. You can be alone, or you can be with the giraffe.” — Hal
3. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) — My personal favorite film in this list. William Shatner and Christopher Plummer had known each other since the beginnings of the respective careers. In fact, Shatner was once Plummer’s understudy for Henry V and had to perform the role one night When Plummer took ill. Here, they balance each other wonderfully, the two big theatrical actors, chewing the scenery. Christopher Plummer plays a Klingon general with a penchant for quoting Shakespeare.
“”To be or not to be?” That is the question which preoccupies our people, Captain Kirk. We need breathing room.” — General Chang
2. Knives Out (2019) — This is a brilliant murder mystery in which, spoilers, Christopher Plummer is the victim. He plays a wealthy author who’s greedy children and grandchildren have gathered at his Victorian mansion for his birthday party.
“There’s so much of me in that kid. Confident. Stupid. I don’t know… protected. Playing life like a game without consequences. Until you can’t tell the difference between a stage prop… and a real knife.” — Harlan Thrombey
1. The Sound of Music (1965) — An argument can certainly be made that this film is neither Christopher Plummer’s best film nor his best performance, but it is without doubt the film for which he will be best remembered. It is a true classic. Growing up as a kid in England, I saw this film once a year. It used to air on a holiday, although I can’t remember if it was Easter or New Years. Julie Andrews is wonderful as the governess of the von Trapp clan and Christopher Plummer is imposing as the father.
Visit Salzburg and take the Sound of Music tour that visits both the historical sites and the film locations.
“You are the twelfth in a long line of governesses who have come here to look after my children since their mother died. I trust you will be an improvement on the last one. She stayed only two hours.” — Captain Von Trapp
Other films considered for this list include The Silent Partner (1978), Somewhere in Time(1980), A Beautiful Mind (2001), 12 Monkeys (1995), and a film I love and really wanted to squeeze into the post — The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) in which he played the vision of Ebenezer Scrooge.
