The Dresser (1983)

Personal Assistant Norman (Sir Tom Courtenay) of deteriorating veteran actor Sir (Albert Finney) struggles to get him through a difficult performance of King Lear.

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Ronald Harwood (screenplay), Ronald Harwood (based on a play by)

Stars:

Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay, Edward Fox

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Albert Finney	...	Sir
Tom Courtenay	...	Norman
Edward Fox	...	Oxenby
Zena Walker	...	Her Ladyship
Eileen Atkins	...	Madge
Michael Gough	...	Frank Carrington
Cathryn Harrison	...	Irene
Betty Marsden	...	Violet Manning
Sheila Reid	...	Lydia Gibson
Lockwood West	...	Geoffrey Thornton
Donald Eccles	...	Mr. Godstone
Llewellyn Rees	...	Horace Brown
Guy Manning	...	Benton
Anne Blackman	...	Beryl (as Anne Mannion)
Kevin Stoney	...	C. Rivers Lane

Storyline

In a touring Shakespearean theater group, a backstage hand, the dresser, Norman (Sir Tom Courtenay), is devoted to the brilliant but tyrannical head of the company. He struggles to support deteriorating star Sir (Albert Finney) as the company struggles to carry on during the London blitz. The pathos of his backstage efforts rival the pathos in the story of Lear and the Fool that is being presented on-stage, as the situation comes to a crisis.

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Plot Keywords:

gay lead character | backstage | actor | theater | theater company | 

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Taglines:

What happens backstage is always true drama. And often pure comedy.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Tom Courtenay played the dresser Norman on the West End London and New York Broadway stages, and then reprised the role in this movie version. Courtenay was nominated for the 1982 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Drama.

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Goofs

After Sir and Norman leave the marketplace, they're passed by a Routemaster bus. These buses were first used in London in 1954, and weren't used outside London until the 1970's.

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Quotes

Madge: It is a disease.
Her Ladyship: What is?
Madge: Hopefulness.

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Connections

Remade as The Dresser (2015)

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Soundtracks

God Save the King
Music attributed to Henry Carey
Played by the theatre orchestra and sung by the theatre audience

User Reviews

A delightful depiction of the acting world

What happens backstage is always true drama. And often pure comedy. Such is the case of The Dresser, a film about an effeminate wardrobe man who is devoted to the deteriorating lead of the acting troupe he travels with. The film takes place in one night about a particularly difficult performance of William Shakespeare's King Lear. Albert Finney plays Sir, the lead role of the performance. He is in no condition to perform such a difficult role, yet he perseveres anyways with the help of his Dresser, Norman (Tom Courtenay). The two powerful leads are the highlight of this beautiful film.

The Dresser is what acting is all about. It is an intriguing blend of film acting and stage acting. Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay give exquisite and robust performances. Their conflicting personalities make them a delightful pair to watch interact. The acting in this film has the kind of prowess and impact of a stage performance with its loud and exaggerated movements. This kind of acting only works in certain settings, and The Dresser is a perfect example of where it not only works but is very necessary. It allows for a detachment from reality, drawing one into the theatrical world, something which stands out in such a unique and perplexing way.

Peter Yates directs this film with precise and aesthetically glamorous grandeur. It is a grand film that doesn't go too far out of line and never gets lost in itself. Yates directs with a keen eye for subtle detail and sparkling brilliance. The film is written with the same kind of subdued wit and beauty, making the film fit together nicely. The dialouge is great and the actors who deliver it bring so much life to the characters and script that it makes for a brilliant expose of the acting world.

The Dresser is a great film that accomplishes beauty and immersion without an immaculate setting. The film is subtly fantastic. Definitely check this one out.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 December 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

El vestidor

Filming Locations:

York Station, York, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP1,456,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$5,310,748

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,310,748

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Goldcrest Films International, World Film Services

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1