A Man of No Importance **** (1994, Albert Finney, Brenda Fricker, Michael Gambon, Tara Fitzgerald, Rufus Sewell, Patrick Malahide, David Kelly) – Classic Movie Review 8,763

Albert Finney, Brenda Fricker and Michael Gambon star in the 1994 comedy drama film A Man of No Importance. Finney plays a closeted gay bus conductor in Dublin in 1963 who puts on Oscar Wilde amateur theatre productions in the local church hall.

Albert Finney stars in director Suri Krishnamma’s 1994 comedy drama film A Man of No Importance as Alfie Byrne, a middle-aged closeted gay bus conductor in Dublin in 1963. Passionate about Oscar Wilde, he puts on amateur theatre productions in the local church hall.

It also stars Brenda Fricker as Lily Byrne, Michael Gambon as Ivor J Carney, David Kelly as Birdy, Tara Fitzgerald as Adele Rice, Rufus Sewell as Robbie Fay, and Patrick Malahide as Inspector Carson.

The good natured, warm hearted screenplay is by Barry Devlin. It is a sweet, story, well told, and nicely acted, and it has great success in conjuring up the world of Dublin in the early Sixties, with the help of Ashley Rowe’s Technicolor cinematography. Finney is exceptionally effective in a relaxed and appealing performance in what seems like offbeat casting for him. David Kelly and Rufus Sewell are outstanding in support as Birdy and Robbie Fay. It all feels real and truthful.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers makes his movie debut in a very small role A Man of No Importance, simply credited as First Young Man. His first leading role is in The Disappearance of Finbar (1996).

A Man of No Importance is directed by Suri Krishnamma, runs 99 minutes, is made by BBC Films, Little Bird, Majestic Films International and Newcomm, is written by Barry Devlin, is shot in Technicolor by Ashley Rowe, is produced by Jonathan Cavendish, and is scored by Julian Nott.

The cast are Albert Finney as Alfred Byrne, Brenda Fricker as Lily Byrne, Michael Gambon as Ivor J Carney, David Kelly as Birdy, Tara Fitzgerald as Adele Rice, Rufus Sewell as Robbie Fay, Patrick Malahide as Inspector Carson, Mick Lally as Father Ignatius Kenny, Anna Manahan as Mrs. Grace, Joe Pilkington as Ernie Lally, Brendan Conroy as Rasher Flynn, Joan O’Hara as Mrs. Crowe, Eileen Reid as Mrs. Rock, Eileen Conroy as Mrs. Curtin, Maureen Egan as Mrs Dunne, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as first young man, Enda Oates as The Garda, Maureen Mc Arthur as The bowling lady, and Paudge Behan as Kitty.

Albert Finney (1936–2019).

RIP Albert Finney, who died on 7 February 2019, aged 82. He was nominated for five Oscars: Tom Jones (1963), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Dresser (1983), Under the Volcano (1984) and Erin Brockovich (2000).

Michael Gambon died in hospital on 28 September 2023, aged 82, after suffering from pneumonia. He made his film debut in Othello (1965) and is remembered for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), The Wings of the Dove (1997), The Insider (1999), Gosford Park (2001), Amazing Grace (2006), The King’s Speech (2010), Quartet (2012), and Victoria & Abdul (2017), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Fantastic Mr Fox (2009), and as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films from 2004 to 2011,

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8,763

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