Though Johnny Depp had his own ups and downs throughout his several-decade-long acting career, with most of the biggest problems coming in the actor’s way after a scandalous trial with ex-wife Amber Heard, he’s to this day one of Hollywood’s most lucrative actors.
Having started his path around 40 years ago, Depp could easily be considered the industry’s expert with no real obstacle to ever impede him, yet there’s at least one movie that the actor himself thinks left him totally worn out back in the day.
In 2005, Depp starred in Laurence Dunmore’s directorial debut The Libertine that, based on Stephen Jeffreys’ play of the same name, follows carefree and rakish poet John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester.
As Wilmot sees no harm in drowning his own life in endless amounts of alcohol and one-off sexual encounters with a myriad of women, he yet faces...
Having started his path around 40 years ago, Depp could easily be considered the industry’s expert with no real obstacle to ever impede him, yet there’s at least one movie that the actor himself thinks left him totally worn out back in the day.
In 2005, Depp starred in Laurence Dunmore’s directorial debut The Libertine that, based on Stephen Jeffreys’ play of the same name, follows carefree and rakish poet John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester.
As Wilmot sees no harm in drowning his own life in endless amounts of alcohol and one-off sexual encounters with a myriad of women, he yet faces...
- 5/18/2024
- by benjamin-patel@startefacts.com (Benjamin Patel)
- STartefacts.com
During an appearance Thursday at the annual Glastonbury music and arts festival in Southern England, Johnny Depp had some harsh words for Donald Trump — and along with them a historical joke even he realized might end up backfiring on him: “When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?” Depp’s joke is of course a reference to John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln who was an actor, from a famous family of actors. The actor made the comments while introducing “The Libertine,” his 2004 film directed by Laurence Dunmore, as part of the festival’s film component.
- 6/23/2017
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Currently with $10.63 million at the North American box office, The Rum Diary has the dubious distinction of possibly ending up as the biggest Johnny Depp flop in "very wide" release — movies screened at more than 2,000 locations. Among 38 Johnny Depp titles found on Box Office Mojo's inflation-adjusted list, The Rum Diary ranks no. 31. With luck, The Rum Diary will ultimately settle somewhere between What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Astronaut's Wife, and Cry-Baby. With inflation-adjusted box-office totals ranging between $15m-$19m, those are all releases from the 1990s — before Depp became a worldwide box-office superstar as a result of Gore Verbinski's international blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003. In case The Rum Diary manages to outgross The Astronaut's Wife, it'll be Depp's second-lowest-grossing movie in "very wide" release. In order to achieve that feat, The Rum Diary will have...
- 11/8/2011
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
This nasally-obsessed account of the 17th-century's rudest royal poet is lacking in humour as well as historical accuracy
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Entertainment grade: D
History grade: D
John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, was a libertine at the court of Charles II. He is remembered as the author of some of the rudest poetry on English literature reading lists.
Continue reading...
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Entertainment grade: D
History grade: D
John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, was a libertine at the court of Charles II. He is remembered as the author of some of the rudest poetry on English literature reading lists.
Continue reading...
- 6/9/2011
- by Alex von Tunzelmann
- The Guardian - Film News
This nasally-obsessed account of the 17th-century's rudest royal poet is lacking in humour as well as historical accuracy
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Entertainment grade: D
History grade: D
John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, was a libertine at the court of Charles II. He is remembered as the author of some of the rudest poetry on English literature reading lists.
Politics
It's 1675, and Rochester (Johnny Depp) has been banished from court for writing a rude poem about the king. This is true, though it actually happened a year or two earlier. But the reign is in crisis. Charles II (John Malkovich, with amusing fake nose) calls Rochester back. "I want you to take on a new role," he tells him. "People listen to you, Johnny. If you take your seat in the Lords, you could make great speeches which would influence events." The king commissions a play. Rochester produces the obscene Signior Dildo,...
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Entertainment grade: D
History grade: D
John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, was a libertine at the court of Charles II. He is remembered as the author of some of the rudest poetry on English literature reading lists.
Politics
It's 1675, and Rochester (Johnny Depp) has been banished from court for writing a rude poem about the king. This is true, though it actually happened a year or two earlier. But the reign is in crisis. Charles II (John Malkovich, with amusing fake nose) calls Rochester back. "I want you to take on a new role," he tells him. "People listen to you, Johnny. If you take your seat in the Lords, you could make great speeches which would influence events." The king commissions a play. Rochester produces the obscene Signior Dildo,...
- 6/9/2011
- by Alex von Tunzelmann
- The Guardian - Film News
Craig here. It's Sunday. It's Take Three time.
Today: Rosamund Pike
Take One: An(ti) Education?
Earlier this year two great 1960s booze-soaked lushes missed out on Supporting Actress Oscar nods: Julianne Moore's Charley in A Single Man and Pike's Helen in An Education (2009). I'd personally have slotted both in the running had I sole ownership of the voting ballots. Similarly with her performance in The Libertine (see below) Pike sneaks in and very nearly scoops the film out of the hands of her co-stars. But, as with Moore, maybe her screen time wasn't quite enough to grab the Academy's full attention. No matter - Pike was the freshest and most lively presence in the film, Oscar nom or no.
Helen comes on like a Bright Young Thing - albeit dimly lit - full of the joys of life. But she wasn't all just boozy bewilderment though. She had...
Today: Rosamund Pike
Take One: An(ti) Education?
Earlier this year two great 1960s booze-soaked lushes missed out on Supporting Actress Oscar nods: Julianne Moore's Charley in A Single Man and Pike's Helen in An Education (2009). I'd personally have slotted both in the running had I sole ownership of the voting ballots. Similarly with her performance in The Libertine (see below) Pike sneaks in and very nearly scoops the film out of the hands of her co-stars. But, as with Moore, maybe her screen time wasn't quite enough to grab the Academy's full attention. No matter - Pike was the freshest and most lively presence in the film, Oscar nom or no.
Helen comes on like a Bright Young Thing - albeit dimly lit - full of the joys of life. But she wasn't all just boozy bewilderment though. She had...
- 8/8/2010
- by Craig Bloomfield
- FilmExperience
The tale of young Rupert Friend begins like many other British coming-of-age stories: in a quaint, almost anachronistic one-horse village in the English countryside. But unlike so many other legends of English lore, Mr. Friend’s journey so far has not involved any kings or warlocks or elves or quests for magical golden rings (though the same cannot be said for tights, which Friend has donned on more than one occasion). His trajectory has been somewhat more earthy: grew up in the county of Oxfordshire in a house with no Vcr; became enthralled with the idea of traveling around the world when he saw his first film in a theater, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989); decided it was his destiny to be like Indiana Jones; discovered that Indiana Jones was an archaeologist, and that most archaeologists aren’t as proficient with whips or as prolific in their love lives,...
- 2/25/2009
- by By Emily Blunt Photography Sølve Sundsbø
- Interview Magazine
- Quick Links Mortal Armor: The Legend of Galahad Laurence Dunmore The Libertine Laurence Dunmore is going back in time, again. The director of The Libertine, has been tapped to helm a retelling of Sir Gallahad's quest for the Holy Grail titled Mortal Armor: The Legend of Galahad. The director's sophmore project is set to be a "coming of age" tale of the legendary knight and his journey to unlock the secrets of the the Christian lore. The project is penned by Joel Gross and overseen by producer Gale Ann Hurd. Production is set to begin next summer in the U.K. The legend of Galahad and the Quest for the Holy Grail is one that has inspired knights errant and knaves alike for centuries. Galahad was said to be a descendent of king David of Israel by his father Lancelot, and therefore a direct relation of Jesus Christ. This relation,
- 12/14/2006
- IONCINEMA.com
Having created an indelible rogue's gallery of lovable freaks and nonconformists, Johnny Depp ventures into the realm of the monstrous in the demanding film "The Libertine".
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
- 12/20/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Having created an indelible rogue's gallery of lovable freaks and nonconformists, Johnny Depp ventures into the realm of the monstrous in the demanding film "The Libertine".
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
- 11/14/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
LONDON -- With eight apiece, Stephen Frears' Mrs. Henderson Presents and Laurence Dunmore's directorial debut, The Libertine, dominate this year's British Independent Film Awards nominations, announced Tuesday. Hot on the pair's heels is Fernando Meirelles' The Constant Gardener, with seven nominations. All three titles secured nominations in the best director and best British independent film categories. Michael Winterbottom's A Cock and Bull Story and Neil Marshall's The Descent also secured nominations in both the best director category and best British indie film categories, alongside Frears, Dunmore and Meirelles and their respective films. In all, 17 awards will be presented at a Nov. 30 ceremony at the Hammersmith Palais in London.
- 10/25/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Laurence Dunmore has signed on to direct A Million Little Pieces for Warner Bros. Pictures. Dunmore most recently directed The Libertine, starring Johnny Depp, which was unveiled at the Toronto International Film Festival. Million is based on the book by James Frey, who also wrote the screenplay. The story is described as a first-person nonfiction account of a man's recovery from a nearly fatal addiction to drugs and desperate living. Plan B and John Wells are producing with Kevin McCormick serving as the studio executive. Both Dunmore and Frey are represented by United Talent Agency. Dunmore also is repped by Duncan Heath in the United Kingdom.
- 9/30/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
British actress Rosamund Pike has signed on to star in Universal Pictures' upcoming video game adaptation Doom. Pike will play Samantha, a scientist, opposite Karl Urban, who will play John Grimm, the leader of a special ops team at the center of the action-adventure pic. Dwayne The Rock Johnson is also set to take a leading role. Polish helmer Andrzej Bartkowiak will direct the feature, which has had a long development history. Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and John Wells are producing. Doom was written by Dave Callaham. Pike is filming Pride and Prejudice for Working Title/Universal opposite Keira Knightley. She also will be seen opposite Johnny Depp and Samantha Morton in Laurence Dunmore's film The Libertine. Pike rose to international attention in the last James Bond film, 2002's Die Another Day, in which she played Miranda Frost. She is represented by UTA and Peters, Fraser & Dunlop in the United Kingdom.
- 9/22/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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