The Dresser

The Dresser is a stage adaptation about an actor and his troupe and crew, particularly his dresser attempting to put on a production of King Lear during World War II in England. The idea of the stage adaptation is always a bit tricky as it is easy enough to lose the power of even a great source material if mishandled or misjudged. Director Peter Yates not only captures the power of the original source material but he finds the needed effort in making it cinematic. There are perhaps a few additional moments there to make the film overtly so, but that's not the focus of what makes this film work. It is still most often in the theater. Yates is careful to add these touches in the right moments but perhaps most importantly realize the strength of the material that is already there. The material itself is filled with such rich difficulties through the strong personalities of the troupe particularly the central actor, but also finds something very special in the central relationship. The two of them are fascinating together, obviously amplified by the performances of Albert Finney and especially Tom Courtenay. The two are terrific in finding the way the two are separated yet find a common ground through the production, the way they speak yet never exactly seem on the same level. It is a brilliantly dynamic fully realized and made actually surprisingly moving by the end of the film. Yates allows the performances to thrive as they should yet he has a careful eye in never abusing his hand, yet giving every scene in the theater the right touches to enliven them. It is never just a scene of actors simply talking. This is memorable adaptation as it captures the strength of its source yet successfully delivers onscreen. I wouldn't say you can completely forget that it came from the stage, like say an Amadeus, but you can say "that's a great stage adaptation".
4.5/5