The Women He’s Undressed has a titillating title but the documentary helmed by, Gillian Armstrong (My Brilliant Career, Oscar and Lucinda, Charlotte Gray) is anything but frivolous. With an eye for composition, a light touch, and artistic flair, Ms. Armstrong reveals the man in the title, Orry Kelly, a fellow Australian who dressed some of the biggest names in Tinseltown during its heyday. You’ve seen his work if you’ve watched films like An American in Paris, Les Girls and Some Like It Hot. At a time when actresses were dressed in frills, Kelly made a name for himself by highlighting line, structure and shape. He used the script to inspire the clothing he’d dress his star in. Betty Davis insisted on Kelly when he was fired, feeling his addition to wardrobe was integral to the success of a scene, not only on an artistic but an emotional level. The documentary is heavily researched, and uses the conceit of an actor portraying Kelly, himself. Lines are delivered archly and play against emotion, prompting short bursts of unexpected laughter from the viewer: The metaphor of Kelly adrift in a boat, the oar action depicting, and often contrasting, the truth of Kelly’s words. “I wanted to avoid conventional documentary structure. Re-enactments are often pedantic”, explains Armstrong. “There’s not much footage of him so I wanted a more abstract way of hearing his voice.” The director, a Melbourne native, has a reputation for creating strong female performances – an association she deflects with irony; its another label. “Male directors aren’t known for creating strong male characters,” she says, the absurdity coloring her delivery. “I’m a director. I tell stories I connect with. Not necessarily women’s stories. Though I can do that too. I tell stories of human achievement. I am interested in character. The women in my films aren’t clichés.” But neither are the men. When she helmed My Brilliant Career she was the first woman in 50 years to direct an Australian film. “There’d been three women in the 1930s – the McDonough sisters – so I wasn’t the first women to do it.” she says archly. Originally attending film school to study costume design in Melbourne, Gillian quickly discovered that it was not her forte. “I had six great ideas, and then was all done.” Luckily she found a natural talent for directing, and raised daughters Billie (30) and Louella (27), while pursuing her craft. Acknowledging how all-consuming directing is, she deflects the idea that it’s a tough job for a woman. “Its a tough job for a director. Peter Weir took the year off when his children were prepping for University entrance exams, and my daughter asked me if I would do the same.” She gives a mental shrug. “The difference is that male directors have a wife to help manage the challenges of family and work. I am lucky enough to have John Pleffer, my husband, to balance the long hours. I don’t know if the girls realize how lucky they are to have spent the time they did with him. He’s a brave man. The school had to change the invitation on the fliers they sent home, because they used to have mothers’ teas and he’d be the sole man to turn up to those events. They had to change the language from ‘mother’ to parent.” Her quest not to be seen as more or less, but simply to be able to demonstrate her talent, reflects Kelly’s story. An openly gay man at a time when studios demanded that their heads of costumes departments be married, Orry never hid his sexuality. That he was close friends with Archie Leach – the two arrived in New York together and shared an apartment for years – has led to much speculation. Gillian doesn’t back away from the implications that some may draw. But at its heart the documentary is a glorification of a man’s incredible talent. Angela Lansbury and Jane Fonda give commentary, as movie footage highlights the visual feast that Orry helped create. To this day his influence is felt both on screen and on the runway. This is a documentary that should not be missed and mimics the themes of this year’s TIFF: People who want to be seen as themselves – no labels attached. Margaret Gardiner Gillian Armstrong and her documentary Women He’s Undressed