PLUNKETT AND MACLEANE
UK, 1999, 99 minutes, Colour.
Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Liv Tyler, Alan Cumming, Michael Gambon, Ken Stott, Terence Rigby, Matt Lucas, David Walliam, Claire Rushbrook, Nicholas Farrell.
Directed by Jake Scott.
Plunkett and Macleane is a story about highwaymen in the middle of the 18th century. This is the Hogarth time and the film revels in the Hogarthian atmosphere of prisons, low life in the streets, the highways. It also goes into high society of the period – as targets for the highwaymen. There are allusions to the police, government.
The film can be looked at along with films about the period such as Tom Jones and Joseph Andrews, Mistress Pamela and, to the point, Where’s Jack with Stanley Baker and Tommy Steele in a story about criminals in London at the time?
This film is meant to be a rather up-to-date look at the 18th century with 20th century dialogue and with some anachronistic techno-music, especially for the ballroom sequence. (But it is quite effective – and interesting to see the 18th century steps to 20th century music.)
The film also revels in its squalid atmosphere. Jonny Lee Miller is Captain Macleane, imprisoned but unexpectedly freed, who joins up with a former apothecary-turned-highwayman, Plunkett, played by Robert Carlyle. When they escape from prison, they set up as master and servant, infiltrate high society in order to get information for their robberies.
Michael Gambon is the Lord Chief Justice and Liv Tyler is his niece, attracted to Captain Macleane. Ken Stott is suitably sinister as Mr Chance, the disreputable head of the police force. In supporting roles are Matt Lucas and David Walliam of Little Britain. Alan Cumming enjoys himself as an extremely flamboyant bisexual Lord Rochester.
The film promises more than it actually delivers but, if expectations are set a bit lower, it is an opportunity to enter into this strange to us 18th century world. The film was directed by Jake Scott, son of Ridley Scott.
1.A period piece? The middle of the 18th century? A modern perspective with language and music?
2.Hogarth’s London, the prisons, low life, high society, pageantry? The re-creation of the period, costumes and makeup?
3.The musical score, the songs, the dance, the 20th century techno-music style?
4.Highwaymen and the period, the criminals, the robberies, the hold-ups, the coaches and the passengers? The contrast with society, gambling, the banquets? The police, serious, corrupt? The role of the government, the judiciary, parliament?
5.The introduction to Macleane, the captain, in the debtors’ prison, the coach crashing into the wall, his observing the robbery, the young man and his death, swallowing the ruby? Getting out, going to the graveyard, digging up the corpse, caught by Plunkett?
6.Plunkett as a past apothecary, the story of his wife, her death? His becoming a highwayman? The release, partnership with Macleane? Their getting out of prison through the ruby? Using Plunkett’s money, setting up for society? Chance and his pursuit of the highwaymen? The death of his partner?
7.Plunkett and Macleane and their surrender, the warden of the jail, using the jewel to get out, Plunkett swallowing it, retrieving it?
8.The plan, setting up in society, Plunkett’s hope to go to America for a new life, Macleane and his love of clothes, going into society, his gambling, taking Plunkett’s money? Getting the information, the robberies?
9.Rochester, flamboyant, bisexual, observing, gambling, admiring Macleane? An 18th century rake, the end, his helping them to escape – and his going back to ‘real life’?
10.Gibson, the Lord Justice, socialising, his speech of antagonism towards Macleane, his control of Rebecca? The robbery, taking Gibson’s money and Rebecca’s? Rebecca hitting Macleane – and knowing that he was the robber? Chance and his threatening Gibson, the government warnings, the messenger? Gibson’s dislike of Macleane? Gibson and Chance, the threats, Gibson’s failure to apprehend the criminals, pelted in the parliament, the decision to leave, Chase and his minions watching, the plan, Rebecca and her revealing it to Plunkett and Macleane, Chance and his brutal attack on Rebecca, taking possession of her? The coach, the police, his killing Gibson?
11.Macleane and his life, the gambling, Plunkett’s money, attracted towards Rebecca, the woman with the pox, the sexual encounter, Plunkett and his apothecary cure? The robbery at the wedding banquet? The confrontation with Chance, the robberies? Plunkett saving his life? His being arrested, going to prison, preparing to die, the journey to the scaffold, his hanging, his being rescued? Chance and Rebecca watching the execution?
12.Plunkett, his anger, the brothel sequence, the confrontation with Chance and his violent behaviour towards the women? Demanding satisfaction, the duel, the shooting, Plunkett being wounded? His saving Macleane and then discovering the money gone? Getting the tickets for America? His leaving Macleane, seeing the notice about the execution, returning, saving Macleane, fleeing with Macleane and Rebecca? The sewers, the police, deceiving Chance that he was wounded and killing him?
13.Chance, his past, his character, antagonism towards Gibson, biding his time, in charge of the police, the pursuit of the highwaymen, his killing the young man at the opening of the film, his anger at his men, in himself, with the government liaison, the confrontations with Gibson, his behaviour in the brothel, the attack on Rebecca, watching the execution, the final pursuit and his death?
14.The amoral tone of this period of British history? The comparisons of villainy between Plunkett and
15.Macleane, high society, the police and the justice?
