Nominated for five Academy Awards, including the Best Picture of 1983, The Dresser, written by Ronald Harwood, adapted from his play, is a humorous and touching look at life in the theatre during World War II. Harwood penned the script from his experiences as the dresser for the noted Shakespearean actor Sir Donald Wolfit, who traveled all over Europe with his acting troupe, serving as actor and director, performing all the great Shakespearean roles, but was, according to legend, a notorious ham onstage and a bit of a tyrant offstage. According to Sir John Gielgud, Wolfit was regarded as something of a joke by his contemporaries. In the film, Harwood’s script follows the Wolfit character, here called Sir (Albert Finney), nearing the end of a long career and now coping with his 227th performance in the role of King Lear. England is at war and as bombs are being dropped everywhere and towns are being destroyed, Sir is unraveling, experiencing the madness similar to King Lear. Nightmares become a part of his daily existence.

As we find out, Norman is more than a dresser to Sir. He is confidante, parent and finally, best friend. I’d recommend that anyone wishing to be an actor should see this film, as we see the toll that the life of an actor can have on a person’s psyche. In a profession where so much joy and entertainment is provided, The Dresser shows us that there is also a price you pay for choosing this life and it involves pain and loss. It also points out that being an actor is hard work and that the challenges never cease. To quote Sir, “You don’t play Lear, you are put through it”. Both performances by Finney are Courtenay are wonderful and both actors received richly deserved Best Actor Oscar nominations (Robert Duvall ended up winning the Oscar for his work in Tender Mercies). Peter Yates, an underrated director with scores of impressive films on his resume including Bullitt, The Friends of Eddie Coyle and Breaking Away, directs his actors with aplomb. Also noteworthy is James Horner’s terrific score.

As exceptional as both Finney and Courtenay are, it is the regal Eileen Atkins who grounds the film with her spot on performance as the loyal stage manageress, who after two decades of devoted service, wishes, deep down, that life would have turned out better
for her.