by Erin Free
Worth: $17.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Miranda Otto, Debi Mazar, Clare Hughes, Jessica De Gouw, Azizi Donnelly
Intro:
...slickly produced, tightly paced...
Ladies In Black – Bruce Beresford’s classy, finely tailored 2018 adaptation of Madeline St. John’s popular novel The Women In Black – enjoyed much success on its cinematic release, and now joins a very select collection of Australian feature films to make the jump to the small screen in series form. The film’s period setting, department store milieu, and multi-character narrative make it perfect for the series treatment, and the result is decidedly slick and entertaining, with excellent performances from a solid new cast subbing in for the film’s outta-here stars, witty scripting from a host of top-tier writers, and assured direction from the talented Gracie Otto (Seriously Red, Under The Volcano).
Set in 1961, a few months after the events of the 2018 film, Ladies In Black picks up with the arrival of Miranda Otto’s imperious Mrs. Ambrose at Goodes Department Store, who runs a tight ship and instantly makes her presence felt on the women who run the counters in the dress section. The caring Magda (Debi Mazar in for Julia Ormond) still keeps a protective eye over plucky young uni student Lisa (Clare Hughes in for Angourie Rice) and the self-possessed Fay (Jessica De Gouw in for Rachael Taylor) while new recruit Angela (Azizi Donnelly) shakes things up considerably.
Over its slickly produced, tightly paced series of episodes, Ladies In Black winningly mixes personal drama, social history, and soap-style subterfuge with a decidedly feminist bent. It’s certainly a far cut above most free-to-air Aussie drama, and aligns more closely with superior pay TV crackers like The Twelve and Mr. In-Between, in quality if not in style and theme. With a likeable, engaging cast of main players, and full-bodied support from a great roster of high-profile local performers (the likes of Sacha Horler, Russell Dykstra, Todd McKenney, Peter O’Brien, Kate Box, Krew Boylan and Hamish Michael are all excellent), the very stylish Ladies In Black is Aussie drama from very close to the top shelf.
Ladies In Black screens on ABC-TV and streams on ABC iView from June 16.
