L'Habilleur

My goodness, you don't get better than this. Tony Hopkins and Ian McKellen are perfectly cast in this authentic feeling take on travelling theatre during the second world war. Ill and aged, 'Sir' has premonitions, Norman (the Dresser) is desperate to hang on to what little life he has as Sir's most trusted aide. Without his role he has nothing. Norman is so caught up in his own anxieties he misses the clues to Sir's nagging self-doubts, his statements that 'he can't go on' and that 'really he should be resting at home'. Hopkins's portrayal is so subtle it is heart rending. This subtlety cannot be gained on stage as stray tears cannot be seen from the stalls let alone the gallery. McKellen, meanwhile, fusses and flaps with perfectly understood gay mannerisms for the period setting. As Norman, he gets perfectly right the intonation in his voice as he ducks and bows to Sir. These two actors provide stand out performances but this is not to commend all the other actors who also pull off incredibly touching and believable performances. Oh yes, this is worth watching, just be prepared to be left bereft.

It's funny how 32 years can fly past so quickly. It's one of those titles you'd have thought they'd never dare tackle, but sure enough they did.

Thoughts before watching, they won't hold a candle to the mastery of Messers Courtenay and Finney. Was Hopkins right for Sir?

Thoughts after watching, a successful outing for two acting greats that managed so amuse and sadden. McKellen expertly cast, Hopkins shone after twenty minutes or so. It generated a level of intimacy, similar to the feeling captured only live on stage.

A nice touch having Edward Fox in the remake, he'd been marvelously cold as Oxenby back in '83. The part where he touchingly pleads for work was beautiful.

There's superb acting in this deep and powerful drama, adapted to the screen by Ronald Harwood, based on his own play, and ably directed by Richard Eyre. It will probably appeal only to a certain slice of viewers, those that can get into a deliberately paced and dialogue driven film and are not looking for an action flick.

The lead actors here Anthony Hopkins, Ian McKellen, Emily Watson, and Sarah Lancashire are all excellent in their roles. with a fine supporting cast enhancing the movie. To be honest, I hadn't heard of Lancashire before, but she was quite amazing in a very understated performance, and one scene with Hopkins was truly mesmerizing.

All in all, I found this film became even more powerful as it progressed and with its superb acting, writing, and direction can certainly be recommended for those that like a heavy and most well presented drama.

It's strange how a movie like THE DRESSER can echo through your memory, as I watched this well made and elegant made for STARZ version I enjoyed greatly the performances of Hopkins and McKellen and also the strong support from Vanessa Kirby and Edward Fox. However, echoes of the original movie with Albert Finney and Tom Courtney kept flooding back, Finney was a force of nature as Sir and Courtney felt much more heightened and on edge than McKellen who often appeared to be consciously downplaying Norman. There is much to like here but if you are new to The Dresser maybe you watch the Peter Yates movie first.

Ignoring the temptation to compare it with the 1983 version, its basic virtue remains the acting. Few scenes are just impressive as fair portraits of loneliness and illusion and apparences.

A film about aging and desillusions.

Beautiful chemistry between Ian McKellen and Anthony Hopkins, admirable work of Edward Fox as Geoffrey, provocative job of Sarah Lancashire and few crumbs about Anthony Hopkins in the role of King Lear in the recent cinema adaptation.

The precious gift - the clear - precise bitterness of final.

A precise circle of frustrations and defining of truth and a honest remind of the precious gifts of main actors.