KITTY AND THE BAGMAN

Australia, 1982, 97 minutes, Colour.
Collette Mann, Liddy Clark, David Bradshaw, John Stanton, Val Lehmann, Terry Camilleri, Paul Chubb, John Ewart, Edward Hepple, Gerard Maguire.
Directed by Donald Crombie.

Kitty and the Bagman is a film about gangster days in the 1920s on the Sydney waterfront. It is a lavish production, costumes and décor, music of the period.

The film was directed by Donald Crombie, a documentarist and docudrama director (Do I Have to Kill My Child) who made an impact with his first feature film, Caddy. He followed it up with The Irishman, Cathy’s Child and The Killing of Angel Street. All interesting films.

The film captures the atmosphere of Sydney, shows a picture of gangsters and their crimes as well as the glitz surrounding them and their reputations. At the same time, gangsterism in Melbourne was shown on screen with Squizzy Taylor.

1. An entertaining period piece? The larrikin element of the Australian cities early in the 20th. century?

2. Production values: colour photography, Panavision, attention to period, decor and costumes? The wharf sequence, the streets, hotels and clubs prison, houses, warehouses? The period of the '20s? The jaunty jazz and ragtime score?

3. A focus on types, caricatures? How many dimensions did the characters have - how many were necessary? Situations, motives? The humour of the film? What point?

4. The opening with O' Rourke arriving with his bride, their seeming respectability, the English background, the end of World War One and the atmosphere of patriotism? The Bagman and the police waiting? The crowds at the wharf, the aftermath of the war, the pleasantness, the crowds? The eruption into violence and the consequences for O' Rourke? Kitty's bewilderment? The seeming respectability of the period and the times -respectability of appearances? The realities below the surface?

5. Kitty and her background, innocence, niceness? Her love for Larry? Antagonism towards the Bagman? Her belief in O' Rourke, the prison visit and the reaction of the police, the warders, the other visitors? The truth and the lies? The money? Her being shattered? Her presence in the inner city, the encounter with Doris and the help, staying at the hotel? The changes in her life and her adaptation? The ruling of the street by Lil?

6. What happened to Kitty and why? Being in the hotel, having to adjust to a new way of life, feeling isolated and shy? Doris' influence? Meeting Simon and the various dates? Her being set up as a companion to the wealthy men? The build-up to the confrontation with the various prostitutes? Her decision and the dancing of the tango? The five-year sentence for O' Rourke and the clash? Cyril's presence and his devotion to her - and going into business with him? The Top Hat Club and her managing of it? The credibility of her rising to the top? The deals with and support of the Bagman? Her growing toughness and success? Did she elicit audience sympathy?

7. The confrontations with Lil? Lil and her toughness, her control and hardness, the nightspots? L11 and her relationship with Chicka? The clashes with the Bagman and the police? The rivalries? The elaborate fights with their comic touch? The set-ups - especially with Miss Jones and Cyril in bed with its seeming violent but comic aftermath? The personalities of Lil and Kitty - and their historic background in the inner city of Sydney in the '20s?

8. The enigmatic personality of the Bagman? His presence on the wharf, silent, unsmiling, controlling? Work with the police? Clashes with O' Rourke? His undercover work with the police, money elements, control and his being a bagman? His serious personality, always wearing his hat etc.? The set-up of the Top Hat Club? His hold over Cyril? His gradually falling in love with Kitty but inability to show it? The setting up of the final clash? Kitty going off with him at the end?

9. Cyril as the smooth talker, the man-about-town, his inability to manage things well, his double-dealings? The Salvation Army picketing the clubs? miss Jones and her entry into the club, her becoming one of the girls? The affair with Cyril? The cover-ups? Their being (literally) exposed by L11 to everyone's mockery?

10. Kitty's bodyguard - the big man with the glasses, his genuine affection for Kitty, his ability to protect her? The visit to the warehouse and the confrontation with O' Rourke once he had been released from jail?

11. The background of nightlife in Sydney in the '20s, gambling, prostitution, women accompanying prominent men e.g. judges and politicians? The film's comment on the possibilities for corrupting judges?-

12. The violence - with the comic touch: the factories, clubs, warehouses, shoot-ups? The final set-up with its inherent violence being diffused by comedy?

13. The minor characters and their contribution - especially Doris - her comedy being more sympathetic to the audience than Kitty's personality? The support by Chicka of Lil? Chicka's personality?

14. The background of religion and aspects of wowserism? The Salvation Army and their values? Their picketing the clubs? Image of religion? Attitude towards sex, drink? The attacks on Doris and her attacks in return?

15. The rough-and-tumble of the inner city? morals and easy virtue? The larrikin element in the Australian character and behaviour? How credible was the film meant to be? Satisfying comedy and caricature?