The Libertine (2004)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Laurence Dunmore

Writers:

Stephen Jeffreys (screenplay)
Stephen Jeffreys (play)

Release Date:

10 March 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

He didn't resist temptation. He pursued it.

Plot:

The story of John Wilmot, a.k.a. the Earl of Rochester, a 17th century poet who famously drank and debauched his way to an early grave, only to earn posthumous critical acclaim for his life's work.

Plot Keywords:

Charles II | Poet | Earl | Theater | Dying

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Rochester
Paul Ritter	...	Chiffinch
John Malkovich	...	Charles II
Stanley Townsend	...	Keown
Francesca Annis	...	Countess
Rosamund Pike	...	Elizabeth Malet
Tom Hollander	...	Etherege
Johnny Vegas	...	Sackville
Richard Coyle	...	Alcock
Tom Burke	...	Vaughan
Hugh Sachs	...	Ratcliffe
Rupert Friend	...	Downs
Kelly Reilly	...	Jane
Jack Davenport	...	Harris
Trudi Jackson	...	Rose

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality including dialogue, violence and language.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

UK | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:18 | Ireland:18 | USA:R | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Singapore:R21 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Iceland:16 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:12 | Italy:VM14 | Sweden:11 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Argentina:16 | Brazil:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Spain:18 | South Korea:18 | Japan:R-15

Filming Locations:

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Weinstein Company, The

Trivia:

John Malkovich, Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith originally approached Johnny Depp in 1996 about making the film, but various financial complications delayed the production for several years.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the dog poops on the floor behind the king, the sunlight is shining brightly onto the floor. The camera cuts away to Chaffinch and when it returns to the king, there is no sunlight and the pile of dog poop has disappeared.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Rochester: Allow me to be frank at the commencement. You will not like me. The gentlemen will be envious and the ladies will be repelled. You will not like me now and you will like me a good deal less as we go on. Ladies, an announcement: I am up for it, all the time...

Movie Connections:

References Plunkett & Macleane (1999)

Soundtrack:

If

Depp does it again

The libertine - What a film... Despite its murkiness, and turgid subject matter, Johnny gives what has to be, his most intricate and breathtaking performance. The first forty-five minutes focuses mainly on John Wilmot's drunken and lecherous ways, and the final forty-five minutes (roughly at around the time that Johnny removes his wig), the sad and awful truth of the life of Rochester kicks in, and from then on, its a cracking story. At the final scene as the light fades along with the haunting words of Rochester's final monologue, I don't think that I would be alone in saying that I was moved to goosebumps and spine chills. Depp is just so intense that frankly, he is beyond brilliant. If the academy don't recognise him this time, I will personally have 'words' with Mr Weinstein! On the whole, an absorbingly different film that deserves all credit.