Day 9: Some Fine Acting

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

DAY 9, MOVIE 1:

The Dresser (1983), directed by Peter Yates. Here’s another movie I’ve wanted to see for a while, mainly because Empire Online called Albert Finney’s (one of my favorite actors) performance in this his best. And it was also directed by Peter Yates, who also did Bullitt and Breaking Away, two movies that I really enjoyed. The Dresser is about a Shakespearian actor who is having a nervous breakdown during a performance of King Lear, and his assistant who is trying to get him through the performance. I will agree with Empire that this was Albert Finney’s best performance, as the actor who is having a massive breakdown. But it was Tom Courtenay’s performance as the dresser, Finney’s assistant, who got my attention. Finney definitely had the showier role, but Courtenay had the daunting task of keeping up with him. Courtenay flawlessly matched Finney’s energy, always ready to take on the tiring task of getting him through whatever trouble he gets himself into. From getting him into the right makeup, helping him remember his lines, and even trying to convince him to be brave enough to go out on the stage and face the audience. Tom Courtenay brought a down-to-earth human edge to the story, along with the right amount of comic relief, without becoming a “funny” character. The story itself was rather simple though, but the two lead actors are reason enough to watch this film.