Ladies in Black

On Thursday we went to see the new Australian film, Ladies in Black. The film is based on the book originally entitled, Women in Black, written by Madeleine St John and published in 1993. The plot of the book was also used for a musical. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford.

Set in a fictional department store in Sydney the ladies in the frock departments are preparing for the pre-Christmas rush. The film focuses on the lives of three of the staff, Fay, Patty and Lisa plus Magda who runs the high-end gowns section.

The film brought back memories of growing up in Melbourne in the 1950s when travelling into the City by train was a special experience. Mum always dressed up for the occasion and we had to look neat and tidy. In Melbourne there were lots of shops.

There were the variety stores where we normally shopped. Variety stores such as Coles or Woolworths consisted of rows of inexpensive goods arranged in sections. Items were purchased from the shop assistant behind each counter. Coles Cafeteria in the Bourke Street store was the place where we always went for lunch.

The department stores - Myer, Ball and Welch, Buckley and Nunn and Georges - were special places that we visited occasionally. The staff of these stores were the 'women in black' in the film. Transportation between floors was by lifts controlled by lift operators who announced the produce on each floor as the lift doors opened. 

The department store in the film has a large Santa Claus covering many floors on the outside of the building. In Melbourne it was Foys, another department store, that had such a Santa on the outside of the building.

In Melbourne the arcades were also places to explore. Regent Place housed the Tim the Toyman store which we always visited.

In the film, Lisa has just finished school and has temporary employment at the department store as she waits for her exam results. She is befriended by Fay and Patty and gradually learns something of the world of fashion, especially when Magda takes an interest in her. Fay and Patty both have problems with relationships while Magda and her husband are refugees from Europe trying to make a new life in Australia.

The 1950s were a time of change in Australia. The film portrays a world where staff are still addressed by their title and surname. There is an awareness of status.  The 1950s were a time of European immigration when people displaced by events in Europe found a new home in Australia. The film looks at attitudes on both sides as well as the changes immigration caused in Australia. The value of education for women is also a theme. There are also comments showing the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne.

I enjoyed watching this movie as a film but I also enjoyed the trip down memory lane that it reawoke.

Review - Ladies in Black (Sydney Morning Herald 19 September 2018)
Review - Ladies in Black (Scenestr 18 September 18 September 2018)
Article - After more than 20 years, Bruce Beresford's Ladies in Black lights up the big screen (West Australian 20 September 2018)
Article - Ladies in Black: Director Bruce Beresford recreates postwar culture of 1950s Sydney (ABC News 22 September 2018)