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A Man of No Importance (1994)

A review by Damian Cannon.
Copyright © Movie Reviews UK 1997
In 1960s Dublin, a poetic bus conductor dreams of staging Oscar Wilde's plays and embarks on a journey which reveals more than a little about himself. Alfie Byrne (Albert Finney), in league with driver Robbie Fay (Rufus Sewell), rules his bus as a private fiefdom and enchants passengers with lyrical recitations. Everyone who travels his route automatically joins the circle of friends, eager to listen to his broad repertoire. Beyond the confines of the bus Alfie has directed "The Importance of Being Ernest", using passengers as the cast. It was a bit of a flop but, undeterred, Alfie intends to perform Wilde's greatest play, "Salome". All he needs is an actress to take the part of Princess Salome; someone young, beautiful and innocent. One day a new passenger, Adele Rice (Tara Fitzgerald), boards the bus and, in a flash of inspiration, Alfie has found his star. In a burst of enthusiasm Alfie manages to obtain the local church hall and convince Adele to join his thespian circle.

Mindful of his last attempt, Alfie's sister Lily (Brenda Fricker) is less supportive of his plans. They make an interesting pair, still sharing a flat above a butcher's shop even in their middle-aged years and bickering about the little things (such as Alfie's cooking). Carney (Michael Gambon), the butcher below, also takes a part in the production, partly because he fancies Lily as a wife. The reason that Alfie favours Wilde so much is that he too is party to the love that dare not speak its name. The principal object of his desire is Robbie, which is a shame because the young driver both dislikes Alfie's flowery language and is unable to reciprocate his affection. Rehearsals soon commence though, even without a full cast. Difficulties emerge when Carney discovers just what "Salome" is about, and storms off, while Adele finds that the play is a little too close to reality for comfort.

Scandalised by the salacious text of the play, Carney complains to the church authorities (although part of his motivation is jealousy of Adele taking the lead role). Joining forces with Lily, the righteous pair try to get the rehearsals shut down and to get Alfie romantically paired up with Adele. For different reasons they both feel that it's "only right" for a man of Alfie's age to be married. However, their lack of knowledge of Alfie's homosexual inclination dooms this effort to failure (even without the fact that Adele already has a boyfriend). The battle of Alfie with bad acting, incorrect costumes and retentive authority mirrors the inner struggle of his repressed sexuality. Something has to, and does, give.

Evoking the period feel of the Sixties in detail, Alfie is marooned in a time when sexual liberation was yet to come and prejudice the standard reaction. This jars somewhat with contemporary society, which considers itself less repressed, but works well as a comment on the "bad old days". The acting is generally adequate, rather than outstanding, with Finney combining delicate insights into his character's condition with bouts of embarrassing over-acting. Part of the blame lies with the script that begins with a level of subdued humour (which is fine), before sliding into a more sexually earnest zone then ending on an upbeat but unlikely note. They is a lot of fine material here but the soft-soaping of issues simply blurs the emotional core of the film, dampening the fire of life-long restraint. Interesting but flawed.

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