巡業中のシェイクスピア劇団で、舞台裏のスタッフである衣装係は、才能豊かだが横暴な劇団長に献身的に仕えている。ロンドン大空襲の中、劇団が公演を続けようと奮闘する一方で、彼は衰弱していくスターを支えようと苦心する。舞台裏での彼の努力の悲哀は、危機的状況に陥るにつれて、舞台上で上演されているリア王と道化の物語の悲哀に匹敵する。
監督: Peter Yates
脚本: Ronald Harwood
音楽: ジェームズ・ホーナー
制作: Peter Yates / Ronald Harwood
撮影監督: Kelvin Pike
制作会社: Columbia Pictures
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.
