Drama

The Dresser

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

In a touring Shakespearean theater group, a backstage hand - the dresser, is devoted to the brilliant but tyrannical head of the company. He struggles to support the deteriorating star 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.

Release Date : 1983-12-06

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Columbia Pictures

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Sir

Original Name : Albert Finney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Norman

Original Name : Tom Courtenay

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oxenby

Original Name : Edward Fox

Gender : Male

Character Name : Her Ladyship

Original Name : Zena Walker

Gender : Female

Character Name : Madge

Original Name : Eileen Atkins

Gender : Female

Character Name : Frank Carrington

Original Name : Michael Gough

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irene

Original Name : Cathryn Harrison

Gender : Female

Character Name : Violet Manning

Original Name : Betty Marsden

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lydia Gibson

Original Name : Sheila Reid

Gender : Female

Character Name : Geoffrey Thornton

Original Name : Lockwood West

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Godstone

Original Name : Donald Eccles

Gender : Male

Character Name : Horace Brown

Original Name : Llewellyn Rees

Gender : Male

Character Name : Benton

Original Name : Guy Manning

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beryl

Original Name : Anne Blackman

Gender : Female

Character Name : C. Rivers Lane

Original Name : Kevin Stoney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss White

Original Name : Ann Way

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Bottomley

Original Name : John Sharp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bombazine Woman

Original Name : Kathy Staff

Gender : Female

Character Name : Charles

Original Name : Roger Avon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Evelyn the Airman

Original Name : Christopher Irvin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Evelyn's Friend

Original Name : Stuart Richman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Actress on Station

Original Name : Sandra Gough

Gender : Female

Character Name : Arthur

Original Name : Joe Belcher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Electrician

Original Name : Johnny Maxfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stallkeeper

Original Name : Paul Luty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barmaid

Original Name : Lori Wells

Gender : Female

Character Name : Train Guard

Original Name : Alan Starkey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man at Station (uncredited)

Original Name : Ralph G. Morse

Gender : Male

Reviews

SplintDixon

@SplintDixon

2021-06-23

Just watched the Dresser tonight. This movie was nominated for best picture of 1983, best director, best actor (Albert Finney & Tom Courtenay) and best Screenplay from another medium. Courtenay won a Golden Globe for best actor. So, on to the movie. I don't need to give the synopsis because you can find it easily. Did I like it? At first it was pretty dull and the main character is really an over the top diva. His dresser works feverishly to please him. When we later find out something isn't quite right with Sir (played brilliantly by Sir Albert Finney) chaos takes over but Norman (the dresser played by Tom Courtenay) does his very best to keep things together. Most of the movies is this one long night and for someone who knows little about theater, the movie gives you a great behind the scenes look at a mid 20th century theater production. Assuming it's pretty real. Lots of cool stuff to take in here and this is when the movie really started to grab me. I started to root for the "show to go on". The final act is a little hard to swallow but it certainly keeps you thinking up until the end and also makes you really understand the relationship between the Sir and Norman. While I do feel this movie was a little over the top, it was by design, I believe. It was written with Shakespeare as the backdrop and it was also written by a dresser from the 1950's. My guess, is it was fairly accurate with some added topping to give it a little extra. Was it a best picture nominee for 1983? You be the judge but I can certainly find more than 4 movies that are better.