The Libertine (2004)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Laurence Dunmore

Writers:

Stephen Jeffreys (play)
Stephen Jeffreys (screenplay)

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:

Sex | Debauchery | Charles II | Alcoholic | Theater

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:

117 min | USA:130 min

Country:

UK

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:

Mr. Mudd

Trivia:

The poem which Wilmot has been banished from court at the beginning of the film is "A Satyr on Charles II". The historical Wilmot really did submit that poem to the monarch accidentally, but he subsequently left court of his own accord, rather than at Charles' command.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Rochester returns home, the carriage gets stuck in the mud so he gets out and walks towards the house. He's met by his wife. Rochester says, "Madam. This driveway will not do." The word "driveway" didn't come into use until around 1865 (according to dictionary.com) - about two hundred years after Rochester's death.

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 Ai no corrida (1976)

Soundtrack:

Rochester's Farewell

Debauching lives in the XVII century

The Libertine is a central story centered in one debauching, drunk, poet, charismatic, relentless and magnific man called Earl of Rochester.

As it often happened with other great men in the past centuries, Earl is posthumously recognized later as a great personality.

More than excellent acting for all the cast with Johnny Deep equal to his mastery performances, Malkovich, with a small role, equally great, a classical set of the XVII century, the royal court, the local vagrant Inns, brothels and theaters makes this business fly.

The story of a man without moral principles but at the same time intelligent, subtle and with a possession of a genuine libertine archetype, rare for the most common men.

The frantic image of a poet-drunker, embedded with the long-time relationship with prostitutes and a somewhat laziness ambiguous behavior of irrational life against the reason.

He falls in love with a rookie actress, "humiliates" the English King with an uncommon play presented to the french ambassador/representative of the French King and dares to do what it pleases him most: Erotic playwriting...

Excellent movie, that's all... but not for everyone.