# Albert Nobbs

Albert Nobbs is a 2011 period drama film directed by Rodrigo García and starring Glenn Close. The screenplay, by Close, John Banville and Gabriella Prekop, is based on the 1927 novella Albert Nobbs by George Moore.
The film received mixed reviews, but the performances of Close and Janet McTeer were praised; they were nominated for the Academy Award in the categories of Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. They also received Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Makeup.
The novella had been earlier adapted as a play entitled The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs in which Close starred Off-Broadway in 1982 and for which she won an Obie Award for Best Actress.

## Plot

Albert Nobbs is an English butler at the Morrison Hotel in late-19th-century Dublin, Ireland; his boss is Mrs. Baker. Although born female, Albert has spent the last 30 years living as a man. He has also been secretly saving money to buy a tobacconist shop to gain some measure of freedom and independence.
Recently unemployed Joe Mackins arrives at the hotel and cons his way into a boilerman job. He and a maid there, Helen Dawes, become lovers. Hubert Page, tasked with painting at the hotel, discovers Albert's secret. He reveals to Albert that he is keeping the same secret about himself, living as a man after escaping an abusive husband.
Albert visits Hubert at his home and meets Cathleen, Hubert's wife. Albert tells Hubert the story of his life: born illegitimate and then abandoned, Albert was adopted by a Mrs. Nobbs and educated in a convent before being expelled after his mother died. One night, aged 14 and still living as a girl, Albert was brutally gang-raped and beaten by a group of men. After hearing there was a need for waiters, Albert bought a suit, was interviewed and hired, and began his life with a male identity.
Believing Helen may be the ideal wife to run a shop with, Albert asks her out on a date. She refuses, but Joe, believing that Albert will give Helen money that could help the pair emigrate to America, encourages her to lead Albert on. She agrees to this approach, allowing Albert to buy her gifts. Helen is uncomfortable with Albert and the arrangement that Joe has persuaded her to make. Albert also tells Helen about his plan to buy a shop. Typhoid fever ravages Ireland and many, including Albert, get ill.
Helen eventually discovers she is pregnant with Joe's child. Joe is terrified, fearing he will become like his abusive father. Meanwhile, Albert goes to Hubert's home one day and learns that Cathleen has died of typhoid, leaving Hubert devastated. Albert and Hubert put on dresses made by Cathleen. Though both at first are extremely uncomfortable, they eventually spend a fun day together dressed as women. A stumble and fall by Albert on the beach brings them back to reality. The pair return to Hubert's, change back into their men's clothing, and go back to their lives as before.
Back at the hotel, Albert learns Helen is pregnant and offers to marry her. She refuses, saying Albert does not love her, though Albert voices a fear that Joe will leave by himself for America and not take her and the child. Later that evening, Joe and Helen get into a loud fight after Joe reveals he is indeed going to America alone. Albert attacks Joe when he gets physical with Helen, and Joe throws Albert against a wall, giving him a head injury. Albert retires to bed, forgotten in the commotion, bleeding from one ear. Helen angrily tells Joe she no longer wants to be with him anyway, and he leaves. Helen finds Albert dead in his bed the next morning.
Helen eventually gives birth to a son, Albert Joseph. It is implied Mrs. Baker found Albert's savings, and hires Hubert again to make improvements to the hotel. When Helen sees Hubert, she breaks down and reveals she earns nothing working for Mrs. Baker, but if she objects she will be separated from her son and thrown out into the street. Hubert looks knowingly at her and says, "We can't let that happen, can we?"

## Cast

* Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs
* Mia Wasikowska as Helen Dawes
* Aaron Johnson as Joe Mackins
* Janet McTeer as Hubert Page
* Pauline Collins as Mrs Baker
* Brenda Fricker as Polly
* Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Viscount Yarrell
* Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Viscountess Yarrell
* Brendan Gleeson as Dr Holloran
* Maria Doyle Kennedy as Mary
* Mark Williams as Seán
* Serena Brabazon as Mrs. Moore
* Michael McElhatton as Mr Moore
* Kenneth Collard as Mr Pigot
* Bronagh Gallagher as Cathleen Page
* Antonia Campbell-Hughes as Emmy

## Production

Close first played the titular character in a 1982 stage production and spent 15 years trying to turn it into a film. The film almost went into production in the early 2000s, with director István Szabó, but the financing fell through. In addition to her starring role, Close is also a producer and co-writer with John Banville.
Production was scheduled to begin in July 2010 but was delayed until December, when Mia Wasikowska and Aaron Johnson replaced Amanda Seyfried and Orlando Bloom. Filming commenced on 13 December on location in Dublin and Wicklow. In July 2011, it was announced that Albert Nobbs would screen at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival in September and the first official photos from the film were released.

## Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a rating of 56%, based on 158 reviews, with an average rating of 6.01/10. The site's consensus reads, "Albert Nobbs tells a worthy story with an outstanding performance at its core, even if the end result is often somewhat less than the sum of its admirable parts". Metacritic gave the film a 57 out of 100, with mixed or average reviews based on reviews from 42 critics.

## Release

In the United States, the film had a limited release in December 2011, and opened at 245 locations in January 2012. The film grossed a worldwide total of $5,634,828.

## Accolades

| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 84th Academy Awards | Best Actress | Glenn Close | Nominated |
| 84th Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Janet McTeer | Nominated |
| 84th Academy Awards | Best Makeup | Martial Corneville Lynn Johnston Matthew W. Mungle | Nominated |
| AARP's Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Actress | Glenn Close | Won |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Janet McTeer | Nominated |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Female Icon Award | Glenn Close | Won |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Actress Defying Age and Ageism | Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Most Egregious Love Interest Age Difference Award | Glenn Close (64), Mia Wasikowska (22) | Won |
| 1st AACTA International Awards | Best Actress – International | Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards | Best Makeup | Lorraine Glynn Lynn Johnson | Nominated |
| GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Film – Wide Release | | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Janet McTeer | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Original Song | "Lay Your Head Down" by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Female | Janet McTeer | Nominated |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Film | Alan Moloney Bonnie Curtis Julie Lynn Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Script for Film | John Banville Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best International Actress | Glenn Close | Won |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film | Brendan Gleeson | Nominated |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film | Brenda Fricker | Nominated |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film | Maria Doyle Kennedy | Nominated |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Make-up and Hair | Lorraine Glynn Lynn Johnson | Won |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Original Score | Brian Byrne | Won |
| Irish Film & Television Academy | Best Sound | Brendan Deasy Niall Brady Michelle Cunniffe Steve Fanagan | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Janet McTeer | Runner-up |
| Online Film Critics Society | Best Supporting Actress | Janet McTeer | Nominated |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actress – Motion Picture | Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Supporting Role | Janet McTeer | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | George Moore Glenn Close John Banville The play by Gabriella Prekop | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Original Song | "Lay Your Head Down" by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close | Won |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role | Glenn Close | Nominated |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Janet McTeer | Nominated |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | Janet McTeer | Won |
| Tokyo International Film Festival | Best Actress | Glenn Close | Won |
| Tokyo International Film Festival | Tokyo Grand Prix | Rodrigo García | Nominated |
| Women Film Critics Circle | Best Movie About Women | | Nominated |
| Women Film Critics Circle | Best Female Images in a Movie | | Nominated |
| Women Film Critics Circle | Courage in Acting – Taking on unconventional roles that radically redefine the images of women on screen | Glenn Close | Won |
| Women Film Critics Circle | Women's Work: Best Ensemble | | Nominated |
| Women Film Critics Circle | World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film | Glenn Close, Brian Byrne and Sinéad O'Connor | Won |