The Dressmaker (1988 film)

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The Dressmaker
The Dressmaker.jpg
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
Cinematography Michael Coulter
Edited by William Diver
Music by George Fenton
Production
companies
Distributed byEuro American Pictures
Release date
  • October 16, 1988 (1988-10-16)(United States)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£1.28 million [1]

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.

Contents

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

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

  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.
  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.