Distributor:
Roadshow Home Entertainment Certificate: PG | Region
4 | Pal Format | 85 minutes Director: David Stevens
Available to buy
Extras: Yes
ANYONE
IN IT WE KNOW?
Genevieve Picot, John Walton, Michael Pare, Sandy Gore,
Peter Phelps
WHAT’S
IT ABOUT THEN?
In Sydney during the 1920’s naïve Libby (Picot) gets
a job working for corset
designer Fred Burley (Walton)
who has big plans to
revolutionise the under garment
industry, he hires American
marketing expert Max (Pare) to
bring his under wear to the
public but Libby and her brave
new designs are the ones who
really hold the key to the
future.
SO
IS IT ANY GOOD?
Undercover, made in 1983, is one very cute movie with
gorgeous cinematography, some great costume design and a wonderful
period air. First time script writer Miranda Downes effortlessly
captures that pivotal change in times when it was no longer acceptable
for women to be constricted by the dreaded corset. Genevieve Picot
headlines the mainly lesser known cast and Peter Phelps also pops up as
her would be suitor (even though she only has eyes for Burley) however
the real stand out is the marvellously throaty voiced Sandy Gore as
Burley’s head designer Nina.
Story wise there is a lack of fluidity that sometimes
means the film loses it’s centre,
should it concentrate on Burley or go for Libby’s
point of view, it tries to settle for both and doesn’t always pull it
off. As a nostalgic treat you can’t fault it even though the real star
is cinematographer Dean Semler.
ANY
SPECIAL FEATURES?
Extras feature some great original cinema
advertisements for vintage Berlei products, a 20 minute interview with
producer David Elfick on the genesis of the movie and a doco telling the
real Berlei story. There is also another of the Australian Film,
Television and RadioSchool
shorts that Roadshow like to have on their Australian centric movie
releases, this is a short 6 minute piece from 1999 called Roses directed
by Sofya Gollan. A great idea this is as it gives us an opportunity to
see material that otherwise wouldn’t get a release.
