A Man of No Importance

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A Man of No Importance ★★★ 1994 (R)

Touching and entertaining saga of lovable Alfie Byrne (Finney), a 1960s Dublin bus conductor with a passion for the work of Oscar Wilde, who successfully represses his own homosexuality. He also moonlights as director of a community theatre, where he sets out to produce Wilde's controversial play “Salome” starring fetching new bus passenger Adele (Fitzgerald), who further confuses Alfie's take on his identity. Finney is both delightful and heartbreaking in this character study of an innocent soul whose life is tested by the social code of his day. Equally affecting and charming supporting performances round out this witty but sad tale. 98m/C VHS . GB Albert Finney, Brenda Fricker, Michael Gambon, Tara Fitzgerald, Rufus Sewell, Patrick Malahide, David Kelly, Mick (Michael) Lally; D: Suri Krishnamma; W: Barry Devlin; M: Julian Nott.