Sydney,
Australia 1959.
“Ladies
in Black” is a movie with its own charm.
Hello Friends,
I liked watching the “Ladies in Black” movie for its
women’s stories, vintage fashion and the dive into history. I’m not intending
to write too many spoilers in this post. The movie did make me think a lot as
you can probably tell by this long article. “Ladies in Black” is a quality
production and a companion for another great, vintage-themed Australian movie,
“The Dressmaker”. You can read the "The Dressmaker" posts here
 |
| the shop ladies dressed in black clothes Patty (Alison McGirr), Leslie (Angouric Rice) & Fay (Rachael Taylor) source; http://www.abc.net.au/ |
Coming of Age
The movie begins when a likable young woman,
Leslie (Angourie Rice), has finished high school and goes to work at the
women’s section of a Sydney Department Store. The uniform for the shop clerks
is black.
Leslie has weeks to wait to find out whether her
school results are good enough for her to be accepted to study at Sydney
University.
The story shows Leslie growing up in the company
of the older shop clerks. She changes her name to the more feminine, Lisa. Having
worked around the sophisticated gowns at Goode’s she’s not so keen on the fancy
dress her mother sews for her. A pale pink, innocent dress with a peter-pan
collar and a large ruffle hem.
Initially, her father doesn’t understand,
appreciate or support her ambition to go to University. She is a girl and what
relevance has university got for her. She’s only going to get married and have
kids in the future.
The continental people she socializes with,
change her views, and open her eyes to a richer culture, and a happier life.
Lisa’s coming of age story is mostly gentle and
sweet with no nasty surprises. Thank goodness! I was cheering for Lisa to
overcome her obstacles. Angourie Rice made Lisa a believable character and she is
a wonderful young actress.
 |
| showgirls from a club in Sydney source; https://www.imdb.com/ |
Circular Stories
The movie does not have a straight line progression
of plot with a dramatic climax and resolution. The movie showcases a different
type of story-telling. It’s a series of stories within circles. Each circle
tells of a woman’s relationships with herself, the other woman and men in her
life. The story circles intersect or overlap at the women’s workplace, a
department store called ‘Goode’s’ which is located in the middle of Sydney.
 |
| Fay (Rachael Taylor), looking for love with a romantic man source; https://www.theguardian.com/ |
Fay’s Romance
Shop clerk, Fay (Rachael Taylor)
is disillusioned with romance with Australian men. Magda (Julia Ormond),
the Slovenian fashionista refugee plays match-maker and introduces Fay to a passionate
Hungarian man, Rudi (Ryan Corr) who is going to make his
fortune in Australia, the land of opportunity.
There was a scene between Fay and Rudi that
really touched my heart. The scene was filmed at maybe the Blue Mountains
(beautiful), inland from Sydney. Fay was confessing very personal information
to Rudi. Rachel Taylor’s acting in the scene was superb. Some of the best acting I’ve seen,
ever.
 |
| this scene between Fay (Rachael Taylor) & Rudi (Ryan Corr) was special source; http://www.abc.net.au/ |
Racism of the 1950’s
Some European people fled the Second World War
and came to Australia to start a new life. Initially, the war refugees were
housed in migrant camps, and later integrated into society. The movie portrays
the Australians as thinking the Europeans/Continentals were a strange mob they
didn’t understand. They were lesser, desperate people somehow.
The Hungarians war refugees in the movie
regarded themselves as having cultured tastes in food, wine, books and music. Whereas
they thought the Australians were descended from convicts, the lowest class of people
in Britain.
The racism themes in the movie were best
highlighted with food and fashion. The Australian sandwich for
lunch versus the salami, olives, fetta cheese and antipasto dishes of the
Europeans. Drinking Australian beer versus glasses of imported wines. Magda
(Julia Ormond) was in charge of the ‘Models’ section of women’s clothing in the
Department store. The cocktail gowns on display were elite, exclusive,
expensive, and only came in one size, model size. She sold the dresses with
European fashion flair, chic and her exotic accent. The other ladies worked in the
women’s clothing and accessories section of the store gazed at her from their
counters, watching Magda's behavior in puzzlement.
I loved the character of Magda, with her
womanly, sensual, fashionista flair. Julia Ormond’s acting was a pleasure to watch.
 |
| Magda (Julia Ormond) in the 'Models' section of the department store source; https://www.theguardian.com/ |
The Blurb
(from
www.ladiesinblackmovie.com.au)
Set in the summer of 1959,
when the impact of European migration and the rise of women’s liberation is
about to change Australia forever, a shy schoolgirl (Lisa) takes a summer job at
the prestigious Sydney department store, Goode’s. There she meets the 'ladies
in black', who will change her life forever. Beguiled and influenced by Magda,
the vivacious manager of the high-fashion floor, and befriended by fellow sales
ladies Patty and Fay, Lisa is awakened to a world of possibilities. As Lisa
grows from a bookish schoolgirl to a glamorous and positive young woman, she
herself becomes a catalyst for a cultural change in everyone’s lives.
Watch the movie trailer.
Have
a happy weekend.
♥ Ashlyn
