The combination of the play and the actress work, however, to assist his decline into drink and sexual depravity. He writes a play that acts as much as a celebration of carnal pursuits as it does an indictment of the monarchy. This doesn't go over well with King Charles II, who halts the performance and sends Wilmot into exile, once again. Meanwhile, his fascination with Elizabeth incites his feelings to a state of love. However, she was just using him to get ahead, and decides that it is time to distance herself from his influence. As he goes into exile he is stricken by venereal disease which destroys his body and ultimately leads to his downfall, at the ripe old age of 33.
The Libertine is dirty. I'm not referring to the content, although that is an apt description of a good portion. I am speaking of the movie itself. Mud and dirt abound in the images slung at the screen. This is not really a color movie, as everything is in shades of brown. Add to that monochromatic palette, a grainy film texture and you get an interesting looking film that doesn't look like everything else at the local cineplex.
The look sort of reminded my of Guy Maddin's work, where he tries to emulate past periods (see The Saddest Music in the World, which emulates films of the silent era). Director Laurence Dunmore and cinematographer Alexander Melman's work here is not quite that extreme, but it is reminiscent of that look.
The screenplay was written by Stephen Jeffreys, based on his play. It was originally brought to life in London back in 1994, before making its way to the theaters in Chicago. It was in Chicago where the lead was played by John Malkovich, who moves to the role of the King in the theatrical production. He has written a very self-assured screenplay, allowing the attitudes of his characters to flow unrestrained. It may not be the most well-rounded writing, but it has an attitude that rips through all pretense to get to the core of those he writes about in a script that is at times tragically dramatic and laugh out loud funny. He has found a perfect balance making you feel for the characters while making you laugh out loud at some of the wild antics that are portrayed. Of course, Johnny Depp's masterful timing doesn't hurt the proceedings.
Article comments
1 - Bliffle
Was it Rochester (or was it Chesterfield?) who wrote: "the posture is ridiculous, the pleasure momentary, and the expense damnable"?
2 - Chris Beaumont
That was Evelyn Waugh.
3 - ex-hedonist
Wilmot reminds me of a character I used to know who used the pick-up line,"Do ya wanna get drunk and hop in the sack?"I asked him if it ever worked and he said,"Only about one time in a hundred,but if you ask 200 women in a night,ya got yourself a pretty busy week."
4 - Dave Nalle
Hey, I knew a guy like that - but his more direct appraoch of 'hey babe, let's fuck' worked about 1 in 20 times at frat parties
Dave