Main Cast: Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Liv Tyler, Ken Stott, Michael Gambon
Release Year: 1999
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A historical comedy that applies a 1990's mindset to a tale of crime in the 1740's, Plunkett and Macleane stars Robert Carlyle as Will Plunkett and Jonny Lee Miller as Capt. James Macleane. Plunkett is a druggist who has gone broke and turned to robbery to pay his bills, while Macleane was a minor member of the aristocracy who has resorted to similar means to support himself. The two meet while serving time in prison, and after comparing notes they set out together for a career in crime. They soon discover they make a good team; Plunkett understands the nuts and bolts of theft well enough, while Macleane has the charm and connections to get them into places where they might find things worth stealing. When Macleane manages to wrangle an invitation to a night of gambling at the estate of Lord Rochester (Alan Cumming), he uses the occasion to his advantage, making the acquaintance of the lovely Rebecca (Liv Tyler) at the party and donning a mask to relieve her of her winnings on the way home. The charm and panache with which the pair commit their crimes give them a widespread reputation as "The Gentlemen Highwaymen," but Rebecca's uncle, Lord Chief Justice Gibson (Michael Gambon) is not amused, and when an especially ruthless lawman, Chance (Ken Scott), is sent on their trail, Plunkett is eager to quit while he's ahead and flee the country. Macleane, however, is too busy wooing Rebecca to listen to reason. Plunkett and Macleane is the first feature film from director Jake Scott, who has a background in commercials and music videos and is now moving forward in the family business -- his father is Ridley Scott, while his uncle is Tony Scott. If you think you've seen leading men Carlyle and Miller together before, you have -- they were also co-stars in Trainspotting. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Alan Cumming - Lord Rochester; Terence Rigby; Claire Rushbrook; Jeff Nuttall; Iain Robertson; James Thornton; Nichola McAuliffe; Susan Porrett; Tommy Flanagan
Credit
Jindrich Koci - Art Director, Petr Kunc - Art Director, Jina Jay - Casting, Jonathon Finn - Co-producer, Natascha Wharton - Co-producer, Janty Yates - Costume Designer, Euan Keddie - First Assistant Director, Mirek Lux - First Assistant Director, Jake Scott - Director, Norris Spencer - Second Unit Director, Oral Norrie Ottey - Editor, Gary Oldman - Executive Producer, Selwyn Roberts - Executive Producer, Douglas Urbanski - Executive Producer, Matthew Stillman - Executive Producer, Craig Armstrong - Composer (Music Score), Norris Spencer - Production Designer, John Mathieson - Cinematographer, Tim Bevan - Producer, Eric Fellner - Producer, Rupert Harvey - Producer, Mark Holding - Sound/Sound Designer, Ray Merrin - Sound/Sound Designer, Graham Daniel - Sound/Sound Designer, Pavel Voukoun - Stunts Coordinator, Selwyn Roberts - Screen Story, Charles McKeown - Screenwriter, Neal Purvis - Screenwriter, Robert Wade - Screenwriter, Martin Grosup - Second Unit Director Of Photography
Plunkett & Macleane is a 1999 Britishhistoricalaction comedy film directed by Jake Scott, starring Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Liv Tyler. It follows the story of Cpt. James Macleane (Miller), and Will Plunkett (Carlyle), two men in eighteenth century Britain who are both struggling to survive. The characters are loosely based on two genuine highwaymen of the eighteenth century, James MacLaine and William Plunkett although the story bears little relation to their actual lives.
England, 1748. England is infested with highwaymen, such as Will Plunkett, a London based criminal working with a partner. However, very soon into the film his partner is killed by Thief Taker General Chance, and Plunkett finds himself on the run from the local constabulary.
This incident was witnessed by Captain James Macleane, who was being taken to a debtor's prison. He also sees Plunkett's partner swallow a ruby, which he sees as his ticket out of debt, and, after narrowly escaping discovery by Chance, he goes to the cemetery and tries to exhume the body and retrieve the ruby.
Unknown to him, Plunkett is also waiting there, and he forces Macleane to give the ruby to him. He then also swallows it, as they are both found by Chance's men. They go together to Newgate prison, and Plunkett realises that, because of Macleane's nobility, he can give the ruby to Macleane and he can use his influence to buy them both out of prison. This, despite protests from Macleane, starts a partnership which could be very successful, where they use Macleane's title to get to know the rich, and Plunkett's brains and planning to rob them later on. However, this all goes haywire when Macleane falls for the beautiful Lady Rebecca and lets their secret slip.
Eventually, Plunkett's plans to escape the country to America are spoilt by Macleane's uncontrollable spending, and Plunkett leaves him to the gallows. However, Plunkett comes back at the very last minute to save his friend, and all three leave for America. At the very end we see Plunkett get his own back on Chance, as he shoots him in the head in the sewer.
