The Dresser

The Dresser - 1983 | 118 mins | Drama | Colour

The Production Team

Director: Peter Yates.
Producer: Ronald Harwood and Peter Yates.
Script: Ronald Harwood and Peter Yates. (from the play by Ronald Harwood)
Cinematography: Kelvin Pike.
Editing: Ray Lovejoy.
Art Direction: Colin Grimes.
Production Design: Stephen B. Grimes.
Costume Design: Rosemary Burrows and H. Nathan.
Makeup Department: Alan Boyle, Alan Brownie, Barbara Ritchie and Joan White.
Original Music: James Horner.

The Cast

Albert Finney - Sir
Tom Courtenay - Norman
Edward Fox - Oxenby
Zena Walker - Her Ladyship
Eileen Atkins - Madge
Michael Gough - Frank Carrington
Cathryn Harrison - Irene

Plot Synopsis

An intense and claustrophobic adaptation of Ronald Harwood's award winning play. The performances are theatrical to say the least; both Finney and Courtney were nominated for Oscars.

Set in England during WWII, this film is based on the experiences of long-suffering valet Norman (Tom Courtenay), the homosexual dresser to legendary actor Sir Donald Wolfit. Albert Finney plays the ageing, boozy actor addressed by his cast and crew only as ‘Sir’, locked in a war of words with his faithful valet whose role it is to encourage and cajole ‘Sir’ to contend with his stage fright. ‘Sir’ suffers a nervous breakdown, cracking up under the strain of keeping his travelling Shakespearean company operational.