So, what’s Anthony Hopkins’ best film then? The man has led some genuine classics in his time, so there’s no shortage of possibilities. “The Remains of the Day” or “Silence of the Lambs,” perhaps? No, in Rotten Tomatoes‘ ranking of the esteemed actor’s filmography, you’ll see that one film comes out on top with a rare 100% score. That film is, of course, “The Dresser.”
Never heard of it? Well, that’s not down to any lack of quality, as the film’s “perfect” score suggests. Rather, it’s because “The Dresser” is a drama that was specifically produced for British network BBC Two back in 2015. In other words, this was a TV movie, but not in the pejorative American sense of a film that wasn’t quite good enough for the box office. In fact, being a Brit myself, I can tell you all with confidence that a premium BBC Two drama is about as prestigious as TV movies get.
Of course, with a 100% score, you can probably already tell that “The Dresser” is not one to be overlooked when it comes to Hopkins’ impressive oeuvre. Based on the 1980 play of the same name by Ronald Harwood, the film follows an aging Shakesperian actor known as Sir (Hopkins), whose glory days are long behind him. The head of a touring Shakespearean troupe, Sir begins behaving erratically as the company is preparing to put on a performance of “King Lear” during the Blitz. The film focuses on the relationship between Sir and his theatrical dresser, Norman, played by the equally esteemed Ian McKellen. This 2015 version is actually the second movie adaptation following 1983’s Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay-starring effort. Interestingly enough, that original adaptation also managed a 100% RT score.
