Rest in Peace Christopher Plummer (1929-2021): Five Memorable Roles From This Cinematic Icon

Venerable actor of stage and screen Christopher Plummer died today at the age of 91. With a screen career going back nearly 70 years, Plummer amassed a list of enviable credits that solidified him as one of the best and brightest in the business. In turns a star and character actor, Plummer gave every role his all, imbuing his characters with an indelible charm even when portraying an unlikeable character. While his range is vast, he created so many legendary characters over the years that it’s hard to narrow down which are his best performances. Pick any five at random, and chances are you’ll have a solid mix. Even with that in mind, there are a few that stand out as my personal favorites. These are roles that express his range and talent, showcasing everything we lost today, but which also celebrate the astounding legacy he built over his long and storied career.

Captain Von Trapp, The Sound of Music

While Plummer had done plenty of film work prior to his role in The Sound of Music, his screen presence was, until then, mostly limited to television. It was his portrayal as Captain Von Trapp, widowed patriarch of the Von Trapp family, that rocketed him to status as genuine movie star. His turn as the naval captain built an undeniable foundation upon which Plummer built the rest of his career.

General Chang, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Forget Khan. Plummer’s General Chang is the best villain in the entirety of the Star Trek movie franchise. This Shakespeare quoting Klingon tyrant proved formidable against Captain Admiral Kirk on the eve of peace between the Federation and the Empire. Terrifying and formidable as written, in Plummer’s hands Chang had a gravitas that is arguably unmatched in the whole of the franchise. There is genuine pathos to the character, brought to the surface by Plummer’s talent which oozes from every second of his screen time.

Harlan Thrombey, Knives Out

Though Plummer’s character spends the bulk of this movie dead, his presence looms large over every moment of its run time. This was, of course, by design of Rian Johnson’s script, but Plummer’s performance actualized the writer/director’s intent in such a way as to permeate every aspect of this whodunnit. Even with his relatively scant screen time, we got to see the full range of Plummer’s abilities. He was funny, imposing, sympathetic, and terrifying, all in one. While it may have been one of his last roles, it’ll certainly be forever remembered as one of his best.

Charles Muntz, Up

Plummer brough an intense multidimensionality to this villain, perfectly encapsulating the pathos and drama of Muntz’s inability to let the past be the past and move on with his live. At time charming and at times terrifying, Plummer stands at the front in a long line of Pixar villains that swim in an ocean of grey. Vicious though Muntz may be, he’s also relatable and understandable. In him we see the dangers of letting oneself dwell in that which they cannot change. Plummer’s vocal performance brought the perfect mix of likability and menace to this complex character.

Doctor Parnassus, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Perhaps overshadowed by the death of Heath Ledger, which led to creative necessities in order to finish the movie, Plummer’s starring turn in this weird-even-by-Terry-Gilliam-standards Terry Gilliam film was a delightfully strange turn that displayed how capable Plummer was handling even the most bizarre of asks. Plummer plays the 1000 year old Doctor Parnassus trying desperately to win a bet against Satan (Tom Waits, which is honestly perfect casting) in order to save the soul of his young daughter. Even with the strange situation surrounding the movie, Plummer created a memorably bizarre character that helped fuel this incredibly strange and beautiful movie to new heights.