The voice of Galicia
Gracia Novás
Writing / The Voice
05/02/2021 22:44 h
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Actor Christopher Plummer (Quebec, 1929) is one of the most solid faces of old Hollywood, one of the few that remained active, because he worked until his last breath (four films in 2019). Although his typical role moved in the field of secondary, he was the protagonist in the musical Smiles and tears (1965) with Julie Andrews and gave life to one of the most compelling cinematic Sherlock Holmes. The Canadian actor died this Friday at the age of 91 at his home in Connecticut.
Although he trained, grew up and triumphed in the trade on the Broadway stage – where he won two Tony Awards – it was in the seventh art where he became essential for the public with his more than 130 films. The Mecca of Los Angeles, however, was slow to celebrate her talent: it was not until she was 82 years old when, in 2012, she won an Oscar for best supporting performer for Beginners -the longest-lived actor to lift the statuette.
“Chris was an extraordinary man who deeply loved and respected his profession with excellent old-fashioned manners, a self-deprecating humor and musicality in his words. He was a national treasure deeply proud of his Canadian roots “, said Lou Pitt, his friend and representative for almost 50 years to the specialized media Deadline.
He is still celebrated by the general public for having given life to the rigid father of the Von Trapp family, whose heart was touched by the appearance of the governess. It is true that shortly before he had participated in a Samuel Bronston blockbuster, The fall of the Roman Empire (1964), whose filming took place in Spain. In 1975 he had a prominent role in the John Huston film that adapted the story by Rudyard Kipling The man who could reign, where he shared the scene with Sean Connery and Michael Caine. That same year he coincided with Peter Sellers in the Blake Edwards comedy Return of the pink panther.
But his greatest accolades came in the final stretch of his long career. In his last ten years of profession, he has earned three Oscar nominations, three Golden Globes and two from the Hollywood Screen Actors Guild. He worked with very relevant authors such as his countryman Atom Egoyan –Remember (2015) and Ararat (2002)-, Spike Lee –Hidden plan (2006) and Malcolm X (1992)-, Terry Gilliam –The Imaginary of Doctor Parnassus (2009) and Sweet monos (1995)-, David Fincher –Men who did not love women (2011)-, Terrence Malick –The new World (2005)-, Ron Howard –An amazing mind (2011) – y Michael Mann –The dilemma (1999)-. Also with Peter Yates, Paul Newman, Robert Mulligan, Nicholas Ray or Sidney Lumet.
He was recently highly praised for flawlessly replacing Kevin Spacey, sidelined by allegations of sexual abuse, in All the money in the world (2018), under the baton of a Ridley Scott who made him repeat in record time all the scenes filmed by Spacey. For this role he achieved an Oscar nomination. “We had nine days to shoot and I had the script in my hands only two days before. So there was not much time for introspection or for long debates, “he said then, not without a certain irony.
