Christopher Plummer Honored
Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 10:20AM Anne Marie providing your concrete connection to TCM Classic Film Fest.
Besides the Oscars, there may be no symbol more Hollywood than the handprints outside the TCL Chinese Theater. As legend goes, Norma Talmadge walked through wet cement while theater entrepreneur Sid Grauman was finishing construction on the Chinese Theater, and the accident gave the showman a rock-solid idea. Whatever the tradition's origin, ever since the Chinese Theater opened in 1927, thousands of starstruck tourists and Hollywood hopefuls have made their way to the theater's courtyard, where they can marvel at the timeworn hand-and-footprints of everyone from Bette Davis to Tom Hanks to the cast of Harry Potter.
Yesterday morning, Christopher Plummer joined the ranks of cemented cinema stars. [more]
The handprint ceremony, which is part of TCMFF's ongoing celebration of the Canadian Academy Award winner, gathered stars and admirers to pay tribute to Plummer. Dame Julie Andrews once again made an appearance, as well as fellow TCMFF honoree Shirley MacLaine, who gave Plummer a kiss, and (most surprisingly) Christopher Plummer's friend William Shatner, who exchanged some lighthearted banter with his Star Trek VI costar.
Some would argue that Plummer's role as Captain Von Trapp is enough to warrant this honor, but his career extended far past The Sound Of Music. As event host Ben Mankiewicz pointed out, Plummer's career has been an exercise in illustrious excess. His screen credits include roles in The Man Who Would Be King (playing at TCMFF), Star Trek VI, Twelve Monkeys, The Last Station, and even Pixar's Up. Despite earning success early, it took until 2010 for Plummer to finally win an Academy Award, for his tender performance as a gay widower dying of cancer in Mike Mills's Beginners.
If that recognition seems late for such a well-respected actor, Christopher Plummer embraces it. Smiling to the crowd, Plummer joked,
"My mother once predicted that I would have to wait to be a very old man before receiving recognition in our profession. She was absolutely right, of course. But she never mentioned anything about getting stuck in cement, or allowing pedestrians to trample over me to their hearts’ content.”
What's your favorite Christopher Plummer performance? Who do you think should be honored next? Post in the comments below!
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Reader Comments (8)
Eenie meenie minie moe...The Insider, The Sound of Music, The Thorn Birds, Beginners...
I have to mention Fall Of The Roman Empire (1964) in which Plummer played Commodus. It's one of my favourite Hollywood Roman Epics.
He was so perfect in Dolores Claiborne. Everyone was so perfect in that.
I loved "Beginners", his role as a father coming out after his wife dies is a work of wonder.
Also, a shout out to "The Man Who Would Be King", he plays Kipling and provides the audience with a touchstone of reality. I'm really surprised he wasn't honoured earlier in his life.
Wooden yet menacing in "Dreamscape" one of the first PG 13 movies.
Actually, he was wooden and menacing in "Dolores Claiborne" too.
He's absolutely chilling in "The Insider." I'm also a fan of "The Last Station," but I don't think there are many of us!
I'm really surprised that it has taken this long to honor him.
The Insider is my favorite.
Plummer has incredible screen presence, but he truly shines on stage.