Editing Christopher Plummer (section)

=== 1965–1979: ''The Sound of Music'' and stardom ===
[[File:The Sound of Music Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews.jpg|thumb|left|Plummer acting alongside [[Julie Andrews]] in ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965)]]
Plummer remains widely known for his portrayal of [[Georg von Trapp|Captain Von Trapp]] due to the box-office success and continued popularity of the [[Robert Wise]]-directed musical epic ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965). Plummer acted alongside [[Julie Andrews]], and the film earned five [[Academy Awards]], including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]. Although he was embarrassed, at first, about the role, which Plummer described as "so awful and sentimental and gooey",<ref name="thr20111201">{{cite news|last=Schillaci|first=Sophie|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/christopher-plummer-beginners-sound-music-268669|title=Christopher Plummer Recalls 'Awful,' 'Gooey' ''Sound of Music'' Role|newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=December 1, 2011|access-date=February 5, 2021|archive-date=February 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205190535/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/christopher-plummer-beginners-sound-music-268669|url-status=live}}</ref> the film made cinematic history, becoming the all-time top-grossing film, eclipsing ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]''.<ref>{{cite web| last=Goldsmith| first=Patrick| title=Is this a box-office record with an * ?| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jan-30-la-et-bigpicture30-2010jan30-story.html| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=January 30, 2010| access-date=July 25, 2012| archive-date=July 15, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715040255/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/30/entertainment/la-et-bigpicture30-2010jan30| url-status=live}}</ref> He found all aspects of making the film unpleasant, except working with Andrews, and he avoided using its name, instead calling it "that movie", "S&M" and "The Sound of Mucus".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://people.com/movies/christopher-plummer-used-to-call-the-sound-of-the-music-the-sound-of-mucus/|title= Christopher Plummer Used to Call 'Sound of Music' 'Sound of Mucus' Before Admitting It Was a 'Good Picture'|website= People Magazine|accessdate= August 9, 2023}}</ref><ref name="abel20100131">{{cite news |last=Abel |first=Judy |date=January 31, 2010 |title=At 80, Plummer has arrived at his 'Station' |url=https://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2010/01/31/at_80_christopher_plummer_lands_roles_that_are_his_cup_of_tea/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216194859/http://archive.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2010/01/31/at_80_christopher_plummer_lands_roles_that_are_his_cup_of_tea/?page=all |archive-date=February 16, 2021 |access-date=September 18, 2013 |newspaper=The Boston Globe}}</ref> He declined to attend the 40th Anniversary cast reunion,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sound of Music Reunion|url=https://www.sound-of-music-interactive.com/sound-of-music-reunion.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028133104/https://www.sound-of-music-interactive.com/sound-of-music-reunion.html|archive-date=October 28, 2020|access-date=February 6, 2021|website=Sound Of Music Interactive}}</ref> but he did provide commentary on the 2005 DVD release.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Sound of Music: 40th Anniversary Edition|url=http://www.dvdjournal.com/reviews/s/soundofmusic_40ae.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213200443/http://www.dvdjournal.com/reviews/s/soundofmusic_40ae.shtml|archive-date=February 13, 2021|access-date=February 6, 2021|website=The DVD Journal}}</ref> 

He relented for the 45th anniversary and appeared with the full cast on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' on October 28, 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|title=For the First Time in 45 Years: The Sound of Music Cast Reunites|url=http://www.oprah.com/own-oprahshow/for-the-first-time-in-45-years-the-sound-of-music-cast-reunites_1|access-date=February 6, 2021|website=Oprah.com|archive-date=April 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210401022745/https://www.oprah.com/own-oprahshow/for-the-first-time-in-45-years-the-sound-of-music-cast-reunites_1|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, Plummer said that he was "a bit bored with the character". He said: "Although we worked hard enough to make him interesting, it was a bit like flogging a dead horse. And the subject matter is not mine. I mean, it can't appeal to every person in the world."<ref name="Plummer"/> However, he admitted that the film itself was well made and was proud to be associated with a film with such mass appeal. "But it was a very well-made movie, and it's a family movie and we haven't seen a family movie, I don't think, on that scale for ages."<ref name="horizons">{{cite web| url=http://www.darkhorizons.com/features/1525/christopher-plummer-for-the-last-station| title=Christopher Plummer for "The Last Station| first=Paul| last=Fischer| publisher=Dark Horizons| date=December 29, 2009| access-date=July 25, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809161356/http://www.darkhorizons.com/features/1525/christopher-plummer-for-the-last-station| archive-date=August 9, 2012| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}</ref> In one interview he said that he had "terrific memories" of making the movie.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/christopher-plummer-obituary-1.5902845 |title=Christopher Plummer, Sound of Music star and oldest actor to win an Oscar, dead at 91 |work=CBC News |last=Iorfida |first=Chris |date=February 5, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216094742/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/christopher-plummer-obituary-1.5902845 |archive-date=February 16, 2021}}</ref>

He was in ''[[Inside Daisy Clover]]'' (1965), then played World War Two agent [[Eddie Chapman]] in ''[[Triple Cross (1966 film)|Triple Cross]]'' (1966), and had a supporting role as [[Erwin Rommel|Field Marshal Erwin Rommel]] in ''[[The Night of the Generals]]'' (1967). Plummer was cast to replace [[Rex Harrison]] for the film adaptation of ''[[Doctor Dolittle (film)|Doctor Dolittle]]''. This decision was later reversed, but Plummer was nonetheless paid $87,500 for signing the contract. At the same time, Plummer was performing in the stage play ''[[The Royal Hunt of the Sun]]'' and his whole ''Dolittle'' participation was so brief that Plummer never missed a performance.<ref name="harris">{{cite book| last=Harris| first=Mark| title=Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EwSv6lsPDxgC&q=plummer| date=February 14, 2008| publisher=[[Penguin Group|The Penguin Press]]| page=154| isbn=978-1-59420-152-3| access-date=October 30, 2020| archive-date=April 1, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210401022746/https://books.google.com/books?id=EwSv6lsPDxgC&q=plummer| url-status=live}}</ref> Plummer had the title role in ''[[Oedipus the King (1968 film)|Oedipus the King]]'' (1968) and ''[[The High Commissioner (film)|The High Commissioner]]'' (1968), playing an Australian in the latter. Plummer was one of many stars in ''[[Battle of Britain (film)|Battle of Britain]]'' (1969), and the lead in a musical, ''[[Lock Up Your Daughters (1969 film)|Lock Up Your Daughters]]'' (1969).<ref name="BFI"/> In the 1969 ''[[The Royal Hunt of the Sun (film)|film adaptation of The Royal Hunt of the Sun]]'', Plummer plays the [[Inca Emperor]] [[Atahualpa]] to [[Robert Shaw (actor)|Robert Shaw]]'s Pizarro.<ref>{{Citation|last=|first=|title=The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/royal_hunt_of_the_sun|volume=|pages=|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|language=en|access-date=February 7, 2021|archive-date=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019223258/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/royal_hunt_of_the_sun|url-status=live}}</ref> On screen, Plummer portrayed the [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Duke of Wellington]] in ''[[Waterloo (1970 film)|Waterloo]]'' (1970). ''[[The Pyx]]'' (1973) was his first Canadian film. He played [[Rudyard Kipling]] in ''[[The Man Who Would Be King (film)|The Man Who Would Be King]]'' (1975). He also appeared in the comedy ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'' (1975), alongside [[Peter Sellers]] and ''[[The Silent Partner (1978 film)|The Silent Partner]]'' (1978) opposite [[Elliott Gould]]. He appeared in ''[[Aces High (film)|Aces High]]'' (1976), ''[[Starcrash]]'' (1978), ''[[International Velvet (film)|International Velvet]]'' (1978) and ''[[Murder by Decree]]'' (1979) (playing [[Sherlock Holmes]]).

From June 1971 to January 1972, he appeared at the [[Royal National Theatre]], acting in repertory for the season. The plays he appeared in were [[Jean Giraudoux]]'s ''[[Amphitryon 38]]'' directed by [[Laurence Olivier]];<ref name="olivier">{{cite book| title=Olivier at Work: The National Years| author=Royal National Theatre| year=1989| page=[https://archive.org/details/olivieratworknat00oliv/page/105 105]| publisher=Theatre Communications| isbn=978-1-85459-037-4| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/olivieratworknat00oliv/page/105}}</ref> [[Georg Büchner]]'s ''[[Danton's Death]]'' (director [[Jonathan Miller]]); [[Adrian Mitchell]]'s ''Tyger''; [[Luigi Pirandello]]'s ''[[The Rules of the Game (play)|The Rules of the Game]]''; and [[Eugene O'Neill]]'s ''[[Long Day's Journey into Night]]'' at the New Theatre in London. From May to June 1973, he appeared on Broadway as [[Cyrano de Bergerac|the title character]] in ''[[Cyrano (musical)|Cyrano]]'', a musical adaptation of [[Edmond Rostand]]'s 1897 play ''[[Cyrano de Bergerac (play)|Cyrano de Bergerac]]'' by [[Anthony Burgess]] and Michael J. Lewis. For that performance, Plummer won the [[Tony Award]] for Best Actor in a Musical and a [[Drama Desk Award]] for Outstanding Performance. Later that year, he played [[Anton Chekhov]] in [[Neil Simon]]'s adaptation of several Chekhov short stories, ''[[The Good Doctor (play)|The Good Doctor]]''.<ref>{{cite journal| url=http://www.theatermirror.com/TAgooddr2ND.htm| title=Theatre Mirror Reviews: "The Good Doctor"| journal=Theater Mirror| access-date=November 29, 2016| first=Tony| last=Annicone| date=March 10, 2011| archive-date=April 26, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426165637/http://www.theatermirror.com/TAgooddr2ND.htm| url-status=live}}</ref> Another notable play in which he appeared was the 1974 adaptation of [[Arthur Miller]]'s ''[[After the Fall (play)|After the Fall]]'', in which he played Quentin (a part originated on Broadway by [[Jason Robards]]<ref name="fall">{{cite web| title=After the Fall| url=http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=13317| work=Internet Broadway Database| access-date=July 25, 2012| archive-date=November 3, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103161301/http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=13317| url-status=live}}</ref>) opposite [[Faye Dunaway]]'s Maggie.<ref>{{Cite web|title=After the Fall (1974)|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e9150c7|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118021012/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e9150c7|archive-date=January 18, 2021|access-date=February 7, 2021|website=BFI. British Film Institute}}</ref>

Plummer acted in ''Lovers and Madmen'' at the Opera House at the [[Kennedy Center]] in Washington, D.C., in 1973 and in ''Love and Master Will'' at the same venue in 1975.<ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite web| title=Plummer, Christopher 1929–| url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Christopher_Plummer.aspx| website=Encyclopedia.com| year=2008| access-date=July 23, 2012}}</ref> ''Love and Master Will'' consisted of selections from the works of [[William Shakespeare]] on the subject of love, arranged by Plummer. His co-stars were [[Zoe Caldwell]], [[Bibi Andersson]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]]. Plummer played "Edgar" in [[E. L. Doctorow]]'s ''Drinks before Dinner'' with the [[New York Shakespeare Festival]] at the Public/Newman Theatre in New York City in 1978. He appeared as [[Herod Antipas]] in the television miniseries ''[[Jesus of Nazareth (miniseries)|Jesus of Nazareth]]'' (1977) alongside the ensemble cast which included [[Laurence Olivier]], [[James Earl Jones]] and [[James Mason]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Jesus of Nazareth (1977) |url=http://decentfilms.com/reviews/Jesusofnazareth |website=Decent Films |access-date=February 7, 2021 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126023121/http://www.decentfilms.com/reviews/Jesusofnazareth |url-status=live }}</ref> Plummer played [[Herbert Kappler]] in the true based [[television film]] ''[[The Scarlet and the Black]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=TV: MOVIE ABOUT NAZIS AND PAPAL DIPLOMACY |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/02/arts/tv-movie-about-nazis-and-papal-diplomacy.html |work=The New York Times |date=February 2, 1983 |access-date=February 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620001956/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/02/arts/tv-movie-about-nazis-and-papal-diplomacy.html |url-status=live |last=Corry |first=John }}</ref> That same year, he starred in the five-time [[Emmy Award]]-winning television series ''[[The Thorn Birds (miniseries)|The Thorn Birds]]'', alongside [[Barbara Stanwyck]] and [[Jean Simmons]].