Women He's Undressed

The theatrical re-enactments and monologues look cheap, too long and boring. Shame they left footage and pictures of the real Kelly for the very end of the documentary.

If Orry-Kelly was such a great designer (and he was), why did the director of this silly movie not show him some respect? Instead she uses his life as a washing line on which to hang a row of coy, childish conceits. We are told that Orry-Kelly was someone who would take a secret to the grave. Not a statement that needs explanation, is it? But it is illustrated by putting him in a coffin, with lipstick-red tape over his mouth, that is carried by several stone-faced models in evening dress. It's as if a child were given the task of making a picture out of a sentence.

Other nonsense includes a very unprepossessing young man playing the part of the designer, and spending a lot of his time rowing a boat--not, I think, the way Orry-Kelly left his native Australia. The director also seems more excited by the fact that Orry-Kelly was gay than by his superb designing skills, spending a lot of time with such unsavoury people as Scott Bowers, the author of a disgusting book about famous people he supposedly performed with (not in the films).

The whole thing is an exercise in self-indulgence, with feeble wackiness masquerading as creativity.

At the height of his career - Australian-born fashion designer, Orry-Kelly was one of the most successful creators in his field during Hollywood's golden years.

If you are interested in seeing what all of the fuss was about when Orry-Kelly dressed Tinseltown celebrities in "top-of-the-line" style - Then - You need look no further than this totally entertaining, fashion-conscious documentary.

I think that it's incredible to note that in his 30 years of costume design - Orry-Kelly was credited for his contributions to nearly 300 films.

I went along to this film with a female friend as a favour, otherwise I would never have watched it. I was however, pleasantly surprised. There is joy in learning something new. This film gives you an insight into something that ordinarily you wouldn't think twice about - costume design in films. The narrative is presented in an interesting way - in the first person and from those who actually knew Orry-Kellly which gives it a lovely authenticity and contemporary feel rather than just being a piece of dry history. Being based on the life of a Hollywood employee in the days when the big studios ruled - Paramount, MGM and Warner's, there is some nice scandal too. The film helps you to relive, or maybe see for the first time the style and glamour of early Hollywood - even during times of international economic hardship. All in all, worth a watch.

I will not attempt to precis the content of this film. Gillian Armstrong and her production team have created a swiftly moving film about Orry-Kelly that needed to be told before all living connections to his work die.

For anyone interested in what goes into making a film this is a must see documentary that follows a real story arc. He has his high and lows but most of all Orry-Kelly had respect from the Hollywood industry from studio heads down.

Some of the well documented activities of some of Hillywood's biggest stars may come as a surprise to some.