Albert Nobbs

Albert Nobbs
Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2011
Founder	Glenn Close, John Banville, Gabriella Prekop
Headquarters	Dublin, Ireland
Products	Period drama film

Albert Nobbs is a period drama from 2011, directed by Rodrigo García and featuring Glenn Close in the lead role. The script, co-written by Close, John Banville, and Gabriella Prekop, adapts the 1927 novella Albert Nobbs authored by George Moore. Glenn Close had previously portrayed the character in the stage adaptation titled The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs Off-Broadway in 1982, a performance that earned her an Obie Award for Best Actress.

The film was produced by Glenn Close alongside Bonnie Curtis, Julie Lynn, and John Goff, with a production budget near €6 million (around $7.5 million), ultimately grossing $8.5 million at the box office. This project was a collaborative effort between the UK, Ireland, and the United States, with distribution handled by Entertainment One in the UK and Ireland, and by LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions in the US.

Although critical reception was varied, the acting of Close and Janet McTeer received significant acclaim. Both actresses were nominated for Academy Awards—Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively—as well as Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Additionally, the film secured an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Plot

Set in late-19th-century Dublin, Albert Nobbs works as a butler at the Morrison Hotel under the employ of Mrs. Baker. Born female but living as a man for three decades, Albert has quietly saved money to purchase a tobacconist shop to gain financial independence.

Joe Mackins, who recently lost his job, deceives his way into employment as a boilerman at the hotel and becomes involved with Helen Dawes, one of the maids. Hubert Page, a painter also employed there, uncovers Albert’s secret: like Albert, Hubert lives as a man after fleeing an abusive marriage.

Albert confides in Hubert about his past: abandoned as an illegitimate child, raised and educated in a convent before being expelled. At age 14, Albert was gang-raped and subsequently adopted a male identity to work as a waiter.

Albert hopes Helen will assist him in managing the shop he intends to buy and invites her on a date; she declines. Joe plans to use Albert’s savings to finance their move to America and convinces Helen to pretend interest in Albert. Helen feels uneasy about this scheme. A typhoid fever outbreak affects many characters including Albert.

Helen discovers she is pregnant by Joe, who fears becoming like his abusive father. After Cathleen, Hubert’s wife, succumbs to typhoid, Albert and Hubert spend a day dressed as women—a brief respite from their daily struggles—before resuming their male personas.

When Albert learns of Helen’s pregnancy, he offers marriage; she refuses, doubting his affection and fearing Joe will abandon them by emigrating alone. Following Joe’s revelation that he plans to leave alone and his violent behavior toward Helen, Albert intervenes but suffers a fatal head injury. Helen finds him dead the next morning.

Helen later gives birth to a boy named Albert Joseph. It is suggested that Mrs. Baker discovers Albert’s savings and rehires Hubert to enhance hotel operations. Helen shares with Hubert her concerns over low wages and fear of losing custody of her son if she protests; Hubert responds with support, indicating continued perseverance despite adversity.

Production

Glenn Close originally brought Albert Nobbs to life on stage in 1982 and devoted fifteen years to transforming the story into a motion picture. Initial efforts to get the film made during the early 2000s, including a collaboration with director István Szabó, were unsuccessful due to funding challenges. Close took on multiple roles in the project, functioning not only as the lead actress but also as producer and co-writer alongside John Banville.

Filming was planned to start in July 2010 but was postponed until December of that year. During this period, Mia Wasikowska and Aaron Johnson joined the cast, replacing Amanda Seyfried and Orlando Bloom. Principal photography commenced on December 13, with shooting locations in Dublin and Wicklow. In July 2011, Albert Nobbs was announced as part of the lineup for the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, accompanied by the unveiling of official promotional images.

Box office

Albert Brooks generated $3 million domestically (US and Canada) and $4.7 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $7.1 million.

In the United States, it premiered with a limited release in December 2011 to qualify for awards consideration before expanding to 245 theaters on January 27, 2012. The opening weekend gross was $696,048, followed by $490,762 in its second weekend.

Critical response

According to Rotten Tomatoes, 56% of 158 critics gave positive reviews, summarizing: "Albert Nobbs presents a compelling narrative highlighted by an exceptional lead performance, though the overall execution is somewhat inconsistent." On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 57 out of 100 from 42 critics, indicating mixed or average feedback.

Accolades

Award	Category	Recipient	Result
84th Academy Awards	Best Actress	Glenn Close	Template:Nom
	Best Supporting Actress	Janet McTeer	Template:Nom
	Best Makeup and Hairstyling	Martial Corneville Lynn Johnston Matthew W. Mungle	Template:Nom
AARP's Movies for Grownups Awards	Best Actress	Glenn Close	Template:Won
Alliance of Women Film Journalists	Best Supporting Actress	Janet McTeer	Template:Nom
	Female Icon Award	Glenn Close	Template:Won
	Actress Defying Age and Ageism	Glenn Close	Template:Nom
	Most Egregious Love Interest Age Difference Award	Glenn Close (64), Mia Wasikowska (22)	Template:Won
1st AACTA International Awards	Best Actress – International	Glenn Close	Template:Nom
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards	Best Makeup	Lorraine Glynn Lynn Johnson	Template:Nom
GLAAD Media Awards	Outstanding Film – Wide Release		Template:Nom
Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama	Glenn Close	Template:Nom
	Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture	Janet McTeer	Template:Nom
	Best Original Song	"Lay Your Head Down" by Brian Byrne and Glenn Close	Template:Nom
Independent Spirit Awards	Best Supporting Female	Janet McTeer	Template:Nom
Irish Film & Television Academy	Best Film	Alan Moloney Bonnie Curtis Julie Lynn Glenn Close	Template:Nom
	Best Script for Film	John Banville Glenn Close	Template:Nom
	Best International Actress	Glenn Close	Template:Won
	Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film	Brendan Gleeson	Template:Nom

	Template:Nom \| Best Female Images in a Movie \|	Template:Nom \| Courage in Acting – Taking on unconventional roles that redefine images of women on screen \| Glenn Close \| Template:Won \| Women's Work: Best Ensemble \|	Template:Nom \| World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film \| Glenn Close, Brian Byrne and Sinéad O'Connor \| Template:Won \|

External links

A Story-Teller's Holiday authored by George Moore in 1918. Chapters 45 through 53 contain the narrative later featured in Celibate Lives under the title "The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs".