LADIES IN BLACK
Australia, 2018, 103 minutes, Colour.
Julia Ormond, Rachel Taylor, Angourie Rice, Vincent Perez, Susie Porter, Nicholas Hammond, Ryan Corr, Shane Jacobson, Nonie Hazlehurst, Deborah Kennedy, Genevieve Lemon, Luke Pegler, Alison Mc Girr.
Directed by Bruce Beresford.
You would have to be something of a stone not to like, not to enjoy this film. It is an Australian story, a Sydney story, 1950s into the 1960s story – but, with a pleasing nostalgia, set in bright sunshine and light. (It is up to the audience to remember something of darker aspects of Australian life, social situations, aboriginal history – although this film emphasises the coming of the post-war refugees, the reffos, the migrants from Europe.)
The author of the novel, Madeleine St John, studied at Sydney University with people like Clive James and Bruce Beresford. She moved to England where she wrote her novel, remembering and imagining her past. The director indicates that it took a long time to raise the money for this project – but, as we enjoy the finished product, the wait has been worthwhile.
For those who grew up in Sydney during the 1950s, there will be so many resonances, the use of actual Mark Foys facade, with a new notice “Goodes� superimposed, gives the story of those who work there and the shoppers a feel of authenticity. And, this reviewer identifies with students who had done the Leading Certificate hurrying at 11 PM to the offices of the Sydney Morning Herald to get their results.
The Ladies in Black of those women who serve at the counters of Goodes, under the watchful eye of the veterans played by Noni Hazlehurst and Nicholas Hammond. It is Christmas and there is a rush. The two regulars at the dress counter, Fay, Rachael Taylor, and Patty, Alison Mc Girr, are given some help by young Leslie (who finds this too much of a boy’s name and has asked to be called Lisa) who has just finished the Leaving, wants to be a poet or an actress, and engagingly makes mistakes but learns the routines of the store. She is played by Angourie Rice. And, supervising them, is Magda (Julia Ormond) as a Hungarian refugee of impeccable taste and manner.
We see a lot of life in the store – and in a period where the lady shoppers all wore hats and frocks. In fact, the film champions the women in their various walks of life but also their regrets, the homemakers who yearned for something more, the shop assistants who hoped for happy marriages, the young girls with ambitions. And, while the men are basically sympathetic, but there are some rather telling remarks about men and their foibles, their vanities, some sexual inhibitions, the beer-drinkers and TV race-watchers and some of the stereotypes of Australian husbands of the time.
The screenplay also incorporates a number of jokes about the Sydney- Melbourne rivalry – presented to Sydney’s advantage!
The film does focus on the four central stories, Lisa and her being befriended by Magda, sharing her love for Tolstoy with Fay, hoping for a Commonwealth scholarship to the University, introducing her sympathetic mother (Susie Porter) and her “I’m off to the pub for a couple of hours� father, (Shane Jacobson).
Fay on the other hand has had some bad experiences with men, finds many of the men groping her, is introduced by Magda to a Hungarian refugee, from the uprising in 1956, Rudi (Ryan Corr) who opens her horizons extensively. On the other hand, Patty’s husband, Frank, is rather awkward, from the country, somewhat inhibited as regards sex in marriage, but, with Patty’s support, finding a happy relationship.
When Magda is described as a reffo, Fay indicates “refugee, migrant�. Her husband, Stefan (Vincent Perez) is also from Hungary but they met in a migrants’ camp where they were learning English.
And so, a picture of the time which has its charm, its warmth – but, in its great attention to meticulous detail of the period, it is also a humorous film, many funny moments, but with a light air that (audiences except those who are stony) will enjoy.
1. An Australian story, a Sydney story, a 1950s story?
2. The set design, recreation of Sydney, use of original footage, photoshopped? The harbour, the bridge, streets, homes, shops, the interiors? The musical score echoing the period?
3. The importance of style, clothes, formal, frocks and hats, menswear, womenswear? Television programs, the races, the shopping, the post-Christmas rushes, parties and outings, the beach, the mountains? The feel of the period? Bright colour?
4. The 1950s, a quiet decade? Suburban, Sydney life, no aboriginal presence seen? The importance of migrants, attitudes, reffos? The migrants making their way, introducing new food, drinking, clothes? Signs of forthcoming change?
5. A women’s film, women’s achievements, the patience, long-suffering, careers, homemaking, partnerships? The portrait of men, the dialogue about men, the blend of the dapper, the shy, sexually inhibited or ignorant, gropers, beer-drinkers, the races, the pubs? Anti-university?
6. The department store at that period, the exteriors, the pre-Christmas rush, decorations, piano performance, singing carols? The two older supervisors and their presence, control? Loneliness of their stories, the woman with her ageing mother and the Christmas dinner? The man with his “nephews� at the beach? The floor, the counters, the ladies in black, the role of service? The dressing room? The world of fashion, the shoppers and their demands, prices, service, choices of colour, the large woman with the zip?
7. The range of stories, the four focal stories and the interconnection?
8. Leslie, Lisa? Aged 16, completing the Leaving Certificate? Ambitions to be a poet, or an actress? Reading Anna Karenina? University application, she and her mother finding the right moment for her father to sign? The discussions about her name with her mother? The supervisor giving her a job? The introduction to Magda and the other girls? The burdens, making mistakes? Going home, the discussions with her family? Her father going to the pub, her mother indicating regrets about her life? But the dancing to Volare? Going to visit Magda and Stefan, the dress and the scarf, the discussion about continental men cooking? The father, the signature, his watching the races? Reassuring her mother that her mother would not lose her? The meeting with Michael, his background, doing the Leaving? Everybody going to the Herald building to see the results? Her father doing the night shift printing. The impact of everyone congratulating him? His phone call home? The coveting of the dress in the shop, its price? Finally able to buy it? New Year’s Eve and the celebrations? Her father trying out the salami and the wine? Her mother altering the Christmas dress? Wearing it to the dinner, accompanied by her parents, with Magda and Stefan? Her father recognising olives and drinking the wine?
9. Fay, Bendigo background, her age, wanting to be a ballet dancer, her being set up by the man in the flat, the relationship? At work, efficient? Disliking men touching her? At home, the television? Her relationship with Magda, Patti, Lisa? Reading Anna Karenina, the tears? Later going to the French film and her tears? The party, meeting Rudi, his visiting the shop, the outings, the mountains? His buying the flat, his proposal, her acceptance?
10. Patti and Frank, ordinary couple, inhibited around six, Frank shyness, country background, at work? Patti buying the 90? The night and Frank’s behaviour, his leaving and motivation? His eventual return, Patti’s mother and her criticisms? Patti fainting the shop, her anger at Frank, yet the bonding, communicating, the change, her pregnancy? Her rehearsing with the dancing group and phase visit?
11. Magda and Stephane, from Hungary, the experiences in the war, meeting the camps in Australia, learning English, marrying, making a home, Magda and her style, her relationship with the girls at work, seeing Faye as rough but recommending her to Rudi? Her matchmaking? The party? Not going to mass, God understanding? Stephane is pleasant, cooking, working in the garden? The gathering at their house, the dinner, the toasting Australia as a country?
12. Rudi, background, his explanations to Faye, the Nazis, the Communist, the the revolution of 1956? His wanting an Australian girl, meeting with Faye, bonding with her, the outings, the flat and the proposal?
13. A film of the niceness of human nature – with touches of humour? And the possibilities for 1950s Australians to broaden their horizons?
