Gloriously enjoyable doco about costume designer Orry Kelly, one of the most successful Australians in Hollywood. He grew up in Kiama, moved to Sydney to work in a bank but became interested in theatre, and eventually went to New York to try and make it as an actor. He never did but he did develop contacts in the theatre world, including sharing an apartment with a young Cary Grant; he began painting murals which led to a job as a costume designer on stage, then Hollywood.
It was an amazing career - his credits include Jezebel, Casablanca, An American in Paris, Les Girls and Some Like It Hot. Three of these films won him Oscars - interestingly all three came after major slumps in Kelly's career. He liked to drink and could be difficult to work with - Jack Warner gave him the boot in the mid 40s and in the early 1950s he couldn't get a gog to save his life. But he had enough people willing to give him a job.
Some great talking heads including Jane Fonda and Angela Lansbury plus lots of costume designers who give us a technical insight into Kelly's particular gifts. There's also plenty on Kelly's sexuality and friendship with Cary Grant.
I think the device of using Darren Gishenan worked well. I wasn't as wild about the decision to not have any photos of Kelly until the very end - I can get why they did it, but it just seems odd in a film that attempted to increase his renown.
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