The Dresser

This movie is based on a play, which is based on the playwright's own experiences of being a dresser to a famous stage actor. It portrays the relationship of a theatrical dresser, Norman (Tom Courtenay), to a stage actor, only addressed as "Sir" in the movie (played by Albert Finney).

The time the story takes place is during World War 2, and the acting troupe go around England to entertain audiences and perhaps give them some respite to the drama of the war outside the theatre.  We see that Norman has been in the job for a very long time, and knows all of Sir's quirks, habits and needs, both physical and emotional.  We also see that Sir is in a mental and physical decline, often forgetting his lines or forgetting where he is, becoming sullen and acting almost like a child that Norman has to coax back to reality and get the play back on track.


Norman often gives anecdotes to Sir about previous friends who lost the heart for acting, mostly in attempts to boost his morale. I was wondering if any of these "friends" were Sir himself in previous illucid episodes. Also, due to his longtime service, Norman knows exactly what to say and do to get Sir to force his mind back onto what is happening in the present, prompting him with putting on his costume or his makeup, and this also led me to believe that this is not the first time the behavior has manifested itself and Norman is well practiced in the steps he has to take to get Sir back into the right mindframe. So obviously Sir has been in decline for a while, much of which has probably been hidden from Sir's wife since Norman always insists on managing Sir alone and in privacy.

The choice of Shakespeare's King Lear as the play framing the story is apt as it involves an aging monarch afraid of getting old and losing his mind, which plays into Sir's current situation.

I think this is good to watch again after you haven't watched it for a long time, mostly because the two main characters' portrayls are a little bombastic and not something to sit through twice so soon.  But both the main leads, Albert Finney as the actor and Tom Courtenay as his personal dresser, give very good performances, although I wished Courtenay would dial back his flaming gay personality a bit (the film doesn't commit to say whether he is truly gay or not). His long service with Sir would mean he has no social life, also evidenced by the end scene when we see Norman has given his all to serve Sir.  Is giving up a life outside the theatre something Norman chose, or is an outside life something he could never pursue due to the needs of Sir?

Eileen Atkins as the troupe manager also has her own torch she has been carrying for Sir for many years.  Sir makes a slight acknowledgement of this, but it too is too little, too late and it seems Sir does not see how many people have both depeneded on him as well as desired him in one way or another for a long time.