Film: Albert Nobbs
Cast includes: Glenn Close (The Big Chill), Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre), Pauline Collins (Upstairs, Downstairs), Maria Doyle Kennedy (The General), Brendan Gleeson (The General), Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy), Janet McTeer (Songcatcher), Bronagh Gallagher (The Commitments)
Director: Rodrigo Garcia (Mother and Child)
Genre: Drama based on a short story by George Moore (2011)
“You always remember the roses, Mr. Nobbs.” Albert Nobbs works as a waiter in Dublin’s not-so-grand Morrison’s Hotel, and customers appreciate his attentive service… four shillings, 5 pence today… pretty good in the late 1800s. Nobbs carefully counts the coins, records the amount and hides them away. Customers and hotel staff may think he’s a strange little man, but they can always count on him. And as long as they respect his privacy, all is right in Albert’s world. It isn’t until he gets undressed for bed that we see Albert isn’t a he… he’s a she. When house painter Hubert Page needs a place to stay over, Mrs. Baker the proprietor says, “Mr. Page can muddle in with you, Mr. Nobbs.” Albert’s reaction is subtle, but unmistakable.
Try as he might, Albert fails to conceal his secret from Mr. Page. “Jesus! You’re a woman!” Albert pleads with Page to keep his secret. “You wouldn’t stop a poor woman from making a living!” The next day, the others try to get Albert to reveal what he’s learned about Mr. Page. Page is a tall good-looking man, and the women have taken notice. All Albert cares about is protecting the secret Page discovered last night. How can Page convince Nobbs that the secret is safe? …only by showing Nobbs that he has the same secret to conceal… another working woman in a man’s world. When Albert learns Hubert’s story, he begins to believe he, too, can hope for a better life. When he learns that Hubert is married… to a woman… he wants to know how he did it. “It was easy. You could do it yourself,” says Hubert. And that gets Albert thinking.
Perhaps the fair Helen would be a suitable companion for Albert… despite the fact that Helen and Joe have been “walking out.” It becomes a strange love triangle, indeed. In fact, hardly anything at Morrison’s is as it seems on the surface. Lots of intrigue… but this is no melodrama. The narrative develops slowly, subtly and methodically. They need to give us time to get used to the world of 19th century working people. It’s easy to forget what life would be like without options or access to information. We need to see through the eyes of Albert, Hubert, Helen and the others. Albert Nobbs would never work as a 21st century story. It’s not until we let the film take us to a different time and place that we can appreciate this multi-layered story. It’s not fast moving but there’s a lot happening. Glenn Close played the part of Nobbs on stage almost 30 years ago and she plays both acting and writing roles in this version. “He’s a shy one… our Mr. Nobbs.”
3 popped kernels
In 19th century Ireland, women had more work opportunities if they lived disguised as men
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Art house
Mood: Neither upbeat nor somber
Tempo: In no hurry
Visual Style: High-end production
Character Development: Engaging
Language: Artful
Social Significance: Thought provoking
