The Dressmaker (1988 film)

*The Dressmaker*
The Dressmaker
Directed by	Jim O'Brien
Written by	John McGrath
Based on	The Dressmaker by Beryl Bainbridge
Produced by	Steve Clark-Hall; John McGrath; Ronald Shedlo;
Starring	Joan Plowright ; Billie Whitelaw ; Jane Horrocks ;
Cinematography	Michael Coulter
Edited by	William Diver
Music by	George Fenton
Production; companies	British Screen Productions; Channel Four Films ;
Distributed by	Euro American Pictures
Release date	October 16, 1988(United States);
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£1.28 million

Last updated November 10, 2025

The Dressmaker is a 1988 British drama film directed by Jim O'Brien and starring Joan Plowright, Billie Whitelaw and Pete Postlethwaite.^[2] It is an adaptation of the 1973 novel The Dressmaker by Beryl Bainbridge.

Plot

Set during the Second World War in England, the story concerns a claustrophobic relationship between two middle-aged sisters and their fragile 17-year-old niece.

Production

Some scenes were shot on location in Liverpool, including at Liverpool Cathedral.^[3]

The costume designer for The Dressmaker was Academy Award-nominated British designer Judy Moorcroft.

Cast

Joan Plowright – Nellie
Billie Whitelaw – Margo
Pete Postlethwaite – Jack
Jane Horrocks – Rita
Tim Ransom – Wesley
Pippa Hinchley – Val
Rosemary Martin – Mrs Manders
Tony Haygarth – Mr Manders
Michael James Reed – Chuck
Sam Douglas – Corporal Zawadski
Bert Parnaby – Mr Barnes
Lorraine Ashbourne – Factory Girl
Mandy Walsh – Factory Girl
Margi Clarke – Shopwoman
Andrew Moorcroft – Butcher's Boy
Marie Jelliman – Mrs O'Toole

Reception

Time Out Magazine reported: "John McGrath's wittily scripted adaptation of Beryl Bainbridge's novel is played with stylish gusto by all concerned. Horrocks plays the innocent so well that you feel like strangling her; Plowright and Whitelaw are a joy throughout."^[4]

References

↑ "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
↑ "The Dressmaker (1988)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
↑ Conolly, Jez; Whelan, Caroline (2013). World Film Locations: Liverpool. Intellect Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-78320-109-9.
↑ DA. "The Dressmaker". Time Out Worldwide. Archived from the original on 3 November 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2025.

External links

The Dressmaker at IMDb

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[org-1] "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2020.

[2] "The Dressmaker (1988)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.

[3] Conolly, Jez; Whelan, Caroline (2013). World Film Locations: Liverpool. Intellect Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-78320-109-9.

[4] DA. "The Dressmaker". Time Out Worldwide. Archived from the original on 3 November 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2025.

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