Glenn Close first played the title
role of Albert Nobbs in an off-Broadway adaptation of the George Moore novella
almost thirty years ago and has been trying to bring it to the screen ever
since. This is a gentle, touching film, set against the harsh backdrop of 19th
century Dublin, and follows the story of Albert Nobbs, a woman who has been
posing as a man for many years, to escape from abuse and abandonment and
ultimately find employment in a male-dominated world.
When we first encounter Albert he is
working as a waiter in Morrison’s, not the supermarket, but actually a small
Dublin hotel, frequented by a company of upper-class misfits and outsiders, all
of whom we gradually learn are hiding behind one deceit or another. The hotel
staff are equally mired in a world of deception, whether it be secret drinking,
sexual deviance or well-hidden illiteracy. Albert’s deceit is of course his true
gender, and he believes he is alone in the lie, until he happens across Hubert,
another woman posing as a man, who, whilst employed to decorate the hotel,
inadvertently discovers Albert’s secret and quickly reveals that she too is a
woman. Albert, whose life until that point had been unrelentingly miserable, is
revitalized and sets about finding out all about Hubert and the happy life he
has built with his “wife”, Kathleen. For many years Albert has been saving his
tips; counting them night after night and hiding them under the floorboards and
he is suddenly seized by the notion that he might leave the hotel and open up a
small tobacconist, perhaps with a wife by his side. So begins his courtship of
Helen, an attractive young maid, also employed at Morrisons. But she is in love
with another and her motives toward Albert are not entirely honourable. As the story
unfolds, and Albert’s vulnerability to the girl becomes increasingly pervasive,
the audience is slowly drawn towards a nail-biting climax, which at times can
be difficult to watch.
Albert Nobbs is an affecting, attractive
film that sensitively explores the issues of isolation, abuse, sexuality and
deception, whilst also considering the circumstances and interactions that
ultimate shape and influence character.
Glenn Close’s performance in the film
has been highly praised and even earned her an Oscar nomination, but I have to
confess that the highlight for me was the quite astonishing supporting performance
from Janet McTeer, as the irrepressible and adorable Hubert. The film lifted each
time she stepped onto the screen, and she was utterly compelling as the brash,
barrel-chested Dubliner, completely content in his own skin. Close, on the other hand, was singularly
less convincing as the timid and inexperienced Albert and, whilst it mustn’t be
forgotten that it was principally her efforts that brought this beautiful story
to the screen in the first place, I couldn’t help feeling that she was also the
film’s biggest issue. Her vocals
generally felt wrong and made me uncomfortable and her portrayal of Albert was
at times affected and misplaced, particularly when set against the superb,
performances going on all around her. Pauline Collins was also a revelation as
the horribly ruthless hotel owner, with ideas well above her station.
I would recommend this film with a
worthy 7/10 and a thumbs up. It is refreshingly different and well worth the
price of the ticket for McTeer’s performance alone, which I predict will
happily linger in your memory for quite some time to come.
Summary - 7/10
Highlight- Janet McTeer as the
irrepressible Hubert
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