The Dresser (1983)

Set in 1940 England during the blitz, Sir (Albert Finney) is the aging star and manager of a Shakespearean stage company, leading his troupe of women and men too old or damaged to fight. All the young actors are in uniform, hospital, or dead. Sir gets by with the help of his dresser Norman (Tom Courtenay) a fussy, loyal, very English "nancy-boy" man behind the man, maintaining a desperate hold on his good humour even as his life is coming apart in shreds as Sir disintegrates. Norman deals with the egomaniacal old ham in the early stages of senility. The show must go on, despite bombing raids, Sir's collapse, and other difficulties. Sir and Norman act like an old married couple. While Norman is evidently gay, he is not the only one. The often talked about but never seen Mr. Davenport-Scott is the other, and the reason for his disappearance seems to be he was detained by the police for homosexual activity, a criminal offense in England at the time.

The film details a close and touching relationship as the dresser remains in the background while enabling the once great actor to continue his work. Mainly this is the story of two men, one an artist who is used to taking what he needs from those around him, and the other who gives his life over to that man. Though we see other people, the film is really a duet between Sir and Norman, his personal assistant, who gets him into costume and into shape to go onstage each night. Sir is on his last legs and Norman is his cheerleader, his parent, and whipping boy. Finney captures the proud insecurity of this aging ham, whose career has never quite matched his expectations but who convinces himself each night that a performance in the provinces is as important as playing London's West End. As far as the complaints that Finney chews the scenery a bit, just remember that he's playing an aging, egotistical scene-chewing actor. It's not a happy film, but it is a great backstage tale.

This film is an adaptation of the West End London and Broadway hit by Ronald Harwood. He based the play on his experiences as dresser to distinguished English Shakespearean actor-manager Sir Donald Wolfit, who is the "Sir" in the play. "The Dresser" was first presented on March 6, 1980, at The Royal Exchange Theatre. The movie features well-timed direction, a sturdy plot, and very good acting. James Horner composed the original music, Ronald Harwood wrote the screenplay, and Peter Yates directed.

Alive & Kicking (1997)

Tonio (Jason Flemyng) is an arrogant narcissistic dancer with an artistic temperament who has lost his mentor, best friend, and lover to AIDS. He is a shameless flirt who stalks about like the young Rudolf Nureyev. Tonio has AIDS, but refuses to take drugs to fight the disease lest they interfere with his dancing. The story is set in 1995 London, so makes no mention of the new protease inhibitors that have rendered thousands of AIDS patients asymptomatic. A fatalist, Tonio has decided to keep on dancing for as long as he can, too proud to let his HIV-positive status interfere with either his career or his love life. Tonio is an obnoxious queen at times. But most of the time he is a man who lives by dancing. Although he denies it, he escapes through dance.

One night at a disco, Tonio meets Jack (Antony Sher), a stocky, balding older psychotherapist with a large AIDS clientele. These two opposite personalities begin a wary courtship that eventually lands them in bed. In the stormy love affair that develops, Jack, who is HIV-negative, proves as needy and vulnerable as Tonio. A heavy drinker who has absorbed too much of his dying patients' rage, he is prone to throwing nasty drunken tantrums, angry over the deaths of so many of his patients. The heart of the movie is an exploration of the relationship between these two volatile, complicated, self-absorbed individuals. Their love story is set against the identity crisis of Tonio's mostly gay dance company, whose cranky founder, Luna (Dorothy Tutin), seems to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease. A running subplot that follows Tonio's friendship with a lesbian dancer named Millie (Diane Parish) feels tacked on, and a scene where they try sex is quite silly. You don't believe for a second that people as aware as these two would fool themselves into attempting such a childish experiment.

"Alive & Kicking" is the first screenplay by noted playwright Martin Sherman ("Bent") and the second feature to be directed by Nancy Meckler, whose debut film "Sister My Sister" won critical acclaim around the world. It has its weak and even embarrassing moments, but the performances of Jason Flemyng and Anthony Sher are excellent, and the entire cast is great. Peter Salem composed the original music.