The Dresser main backdrop
The Dresser main poster

The Dresser

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6.7/10 • 65

1983-12-061h 58m

Drama

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.

Directors
Peter Yates
Editors
Ray Lovejoy

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Albert Finney

    Albert Finney

    Sir

  2. Tom Courtenay

    Tom Courtenay

    Norman

  3. Edward Fox

    Edward Fox

    Oxenby

  4. Zena Walker

    Zena Walker

    Her Ladyship

  5. Eileen Atkins

    Eileen Atkins

    Madge

  6. Michael Gough

    Michael Gough

    Frank Carrington

  7. Cathryn Harrison

    Cathryn Harrison

    Irene

  8. Betty Marsden

    Betty Marsden

    Violet Manning

  9. Sheila Reid

    Sheila Reid

    Lydia Gibson

Reviews1

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SplintDixon Avatar

SplintDixon

Jan 23, 2021

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.

Media

  • The Dresser poster
  • The Dresser poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
alcoholismbackstagelgbtpost world war iimake updrunkenness