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Plunkett and Macleane is a movie that is underrated and is sort of forgotten from the great year for movies released in 1999. I did not see it the theaters, but have seen it many times on cable and DVD.
I immediately took a liking to it when I first saw it on cable. I love these period piece type films and this one is no different. It is a quirky type of film with some historical inaccuracies. The anachronistic music for one thing does not fit the century the movie takes place in.
I immediately found that odd when I first saw Plunkett and Macleane. It doesn’t bother me that the music, such as the techno dance music featured during the ball scene doesn’t fit the time.
Some of the out of place music has a comedic effect such as in the beginning when Jonny Lee Miller is having sex with the debtors’ prison warden’s daughter. There are some other elements that are out of place such as the clothing for the characters.
Alan Cummings, Lord Rochester character sports a very colorful purple outfit that is a bit on the ridiculous side. He also has an eyebrow piercing.
Liv Tyler’s character wears an 18th century hairstyle early on, but the rest of the movie it hangs down. The dresses the women wear in the film have somewhat of a modern touch to them. The costumes featured in Plunkett and Macleane are a bit over the top.
Some of the dialogue is also out of place, which features some profanity. Historical inaccuracies aside, Plunkett and Macleane is a great film. Most of the cast gives an outstanding performance with lots of spirit.
It is an intelligent well written film that has great lines and is a thrill to watch. Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller have great chemistry together.
They make a good team and are fun to watch with their early friction and blooming friendship in the movie. I have always liked these two UK born actors ever since I saw them in Trainspotting (1996).
The two actors have done very well in the acting business since then and still get work on good TV Shows such as Robert Carlyle’s, “Once Upon a Time” and Jonny Lee Miller’s, “Elementary”.
I was most impressed by actor Alan Cumming who I feel stole this movie. He had the best lines and I love the energy he brought to the foppy bi-sexual Lord Rochester character. He was hilarious and over the top with lines such as,
Macleane: Still swinging both ways, Rochester?
Lord Rochester: Jamie, I swing every way.
Lord Rochester: at a chicken fighting event-Don’t you just love a juicy cockfight?
Ken Stott does a really good job playing a vicious villain who commits evil acts like brutally killing people, physically and verbally abusing women, and raping them as well. The action scenes mixed in with the comedy in the movie is decent.
Director Jake Scott and the screenplay writers put together an entertaining period piece with a unique take on the time back then. Think of “Dangerous Liasons” with British humor added to it.
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Source by Randy Wheaton
