UNDERCOVER

Australia, 1984, 100 minutes, Colour.
John Walton, Genevieve Picot, Michael Pare, Sandy Gore, Peter Phelps, Nicholas Eadie, Barry Otto.
Directed by David Stevens.

Undercover is a pleasant piece of Australiana. Producer David Elphick saw it in line with his Newsfront, an opportunity to explore nationalism in the past. Director David Stevens saw it as partly comedy, partly musical, partly spoof - an affectionate look at the past and at nationalism. The film outlines the career of Fred Burley, the industrialist founder of the Berlei empire and women's foundation garments. John Walton is engaging as Burley - a busy man who had a great sense of national spirit in the '20s, taking the Great White Train around Australia advocating 'Australian Made'.

The film focuses on Genevieve Picot as Libby, the young girl from Mudgee, who becomes involved with the work and, in some ways, with Burley. The film, written by Miranda Downes, has a strong feminist tone. There is a good supporting cast, including Sandy Gore as the eccentric Nina. Michael Pare, from The Great American hero and Eddie and the Cruisers, is the Brooklyn Max, the aide to Burley in his advertising. The film, at times, seems rather slight - even inconsequential. Yet it is pleasing entertainment and creates an atmosphere of Australian nationalism.

1. An entertaining piece of Australiana? The impact for Australian audiences? Overseas? For men, for women?

2. The re-creation of the '20s: Mudgee and the style of the slow country town. the contrast with Sydney and big business. the suburbs, the beaches etc.? Flats. offices. shops? The world of '20s fashion? Costumes and decor? The fashion shows, musical shows? Panavision photography. colour and style? The importance of the musical score and its tone, the songs? The lyrics for the final patriotic display? Billy Field and his singing of the title song?

3. The title and its irony and humour? The atmosphere of the credits and the hand turning the leaves of the book - indication of the period?

4. The focus on Libby: her work in Mudgee, the focus on the large woman breathing in for the corsets at the opening? Her relationship with Frank, her decision to leave and go to the big city? The country girl arriving in the city, getting the flat, the remarks of the landlady? The collage of the variety of jobs that she tried e.g. telephone-answering, the restaurant and the men's attentions? The interview with Fred Burley and her being thought a man, her reaction and the huff? Her being employed? The friendship with Alice? Her work. Nina's injunctions? Fred Burley and his push and her joining him? Arthur's suspicions? Her clashes with Max and his ideas and brash Americanism? The encounter with Theo the dates. the sexual encounter, her realising she was not in love with him? Her skill at her work, her developing new lines in underwear, being a designer? Her gratitude towards Fred Burley, the single kiss and the resultant scandal? Her decision to make the speech - her courage in doing so? The train and her returning home, bored, Frank's condescension about her reputation in the city? The comments about the failure of her line in Mudgee? Her brainwaves, return to Sydney? Her energy. the survey and her participation in it? The build-up to the final show? Her future - and the credibility of her reconciliation with Max? Strong character-drawing? A portrait of an Australian woman of the '20s? The feminist touches in her characterisation?

5. Themes of the '20s, Australian industry, opportunities,' local interest? Fred Burley and his wife and their humble origins. their success? Arthur's business acumen? The importing of Max for salesmanship and advertising? Promotion? The personalities on the staff. the changes of fashion in the '20s. the fashion shows and the feminine response? The growing nationalism? The societies, the Great White Train and its effect? The portrayal of Fred Burley within this context - his energy, business acumen, taking risks where Arthur would not? Friendship with Libby? Reliance on Max? The scandal and his possible resignation? Libby's exoneration of him? His relationship with his wife? His response to Libby's return, the enjoyment of the survey. the final show? Burley as a genial Australian man of the '20s?

6. Arthur and his fussiness, money, gradual relenting. participation in the survey - and his final smile?

7. Max - the Brooklyn background. coming to Australia, his reaction to the old-fashioned style, the American making his home in Australia? Ideas, push, the fashion shows? The continued clash with Libby - and his pointing this out to her, her lack of civility, her apologies? The final reconciliation?

8. The portrait of the people on the staff - Nina and her eccentricities, English background, her theories on 'brilliance'? Her design? Her looking at Libby's flat and her emotional approach? Work, the show going on?

9. Alice ‘as friend, unable to be a designer, becoming a model and her success? Sharing things with Libby? The friendship with Theo, the beach sequence? Her wanting to marry Theo - and her image of marriage, his drinking and her supporting him?

10. Theo and his smooth talking, the outing at the pub, the girls drinking. the beach, his car. the sexual episode with Libby and her rejection of him? His jealousy, talking to Simmo, the repercussions and his going to the pub to punch him? Friendship with Alice. drinking, his arriving on the night of the show? The comparison with Frank in Mudgee - and the image of Australian men?

11. The importance of the detail of background of Sydney life: the beach, the shops, the flats, the pubs, cars and trains?

12. The sense of nationalism and the society. the speeches. the executives in business in Sydney, the train? The emphasis on 'Buy Australian' and the Berlei staff going to the various shops? Australian enterprise and American know-how - with the French touch and image? The details of the train - and the humour of getting the beer to the dignitaries. even on a Sunday?

13. The fashion shows - the style, the music, the women's response, the flattery? The initial shows, the Sydney survey - and the measuring of the women? The satire in the lascivious professor? The build-up to the grand finale in the Regent Theatre and the choreography. costumes, the patriotic songs?

14. The slight tone to the film - the emphasis on delighting rather than serious exploration of themes? How effective for the broad audience?