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:

Earl | Charles II | Poet | London | King

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:

Filming took only 45 days.

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:

Referenced in Kingdom of the Vampire (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Rochester's Farewell

Saw the Libertine last week.

The Libertine is a movie that is of Oscar caliber. Stunning, unbelievable and brilliant....even these words do not accurately describe Depp's execution of this part.

We were blown away and that is the best way to describe it. It was funny in parts, raunchy in others and finally, tear-jerking. I found myself holding my breath so many times, because Depp's acting was so amazing.

When Rochester starts to show the ravages of his disease towards the end, all I could think of was that Johnny FINALLY got his wish....to play a character as ugly as possible with his face so mutilated and scarred that he was almost beyond recognition. It was MAGNIFICENT!! He was truly hideous and it was a good reminder of the toll that syphilis took on a person in those days.

This movie is not for the faint-hearted or easily offended. It's mid-17th century England at it's grubbiest, filthiest and most depraved. There is foul language, plenty of nudity and phallic symbols are used liberally throughout this film, although Rochester is always fully clothed.

We definitely felt there was much more chemistry between Johnny and Rosamund Pike, who played his wife, than between Johnny and Samantha Morton. Perhaps it was supposed to seem that Morton's character Elizabeth Barry did not really 'click' with Rochester, as that was the impression we were left with.

The sex scenes, even between Rochester and Barry are rough -- almost emotionless, as opposed to being actual 'love' scenes.

It was the opinion of our group that Johnny Depp has elevated himself to that upper echelon of actors who are to be revered for their skills and talent. This role is the crowning glory of his career to date and it's time he is given his due for being one of the best actors of our time.

Although the film needs some fine-tuning, we left the theater in awe of the magnificent performances we had just witnessed.