Dublin, towards the end of the 19th century.
Albert Nobbs, a slight, middle aged man, works as a waiter in a grand hotel patronised by society figures and libertines. At the end of each day, Nobbs retires to his quarters and meticulously stashes away his earnings and tips hoping to realise his dream of buying a tobacconist’s shop. When he’s forced to share his room with a handsome decorator, his hope for a respectable, independent life takes an unexpected turn.
This has been a long-standing pet project for star Glenn Close, who played Albert Nobbs to great acclaim off-Broadway in 1982, and has since developed the work for the big screen.
After some false starts, and originally intended for the great Hungarian director Istvan Szabo, the film has finally been produced with Rodrigo García at the helm, still very much a showcase for a powerhouse cast, not least Close, once more Oscar-nominated as the titular character. The result is a woman’s picture with a difference, conventionally well designed and performed, and with emotional resonances that linger long after the end credits.
