''Kitty and the Bagman'' is a 1983 Australian film about gangsters in the 1920s. It was based on the rivalry of

Kate Leigh Kathleen Mary Josephine Leigh (née Beahan; 10 March 1881 – 4 February 1964) (other names included Kathleen Barry, and Kathleen Ryan) was an Australian underworld figure who rose to prominence as a madam, illegal trader of alcohol and cocaine ...

and

Tilly Devine Matilda Mary Devine (née Twiss, 8 September 190024 November 1970), known as Tilly Devine, was an English Australian organised crime boss. She was involved in a wide range of activities, including sly-grog, razor gangs, and prostitution, and b ...

Premise

Kitty O'Rourke arrives in Australia from England as a war bride. Her husband is arrested by a Sydney policeman known as the bagman. This leads Kitty to a life of crime and a rivalry with another female criminal.

Cast

Liddy Clark Elizabeth Anne Clark (born 6 November 1953 in Adelaide, South Australia), is an Australian former politician with the Labor Party in the Queensland Legislature who held the seat for Clayfield and also an actress of television and film, director ...

as Kitty O'Rourke * John Stanton as The Bagman * Val Lehman as "Big" Lil Delaney *

Gerard Maguire Gerard Maguire (born 25 September 1945) also credited as Gerard McGuire, is an Australian actor, producer and screenwriter best known for his role in ''Prisoner'' as Deputy Governor, ''Jim Fletcher''. Often appearing on Australian television pol ...

* Colette Mann * Paul Chubb * Danny Adcock *David Bradshaw * Anthony Hawkins * John Ewart as The Train Driver Several of the cast had been in the TV series '' Prisoner''.

Production

Most of the film was shot on sets at the Mort Bay studios in Balmain, New South Wales. Filming started November 1981. The set was auctioned off afterwards. During filming a visit was paid to the set by then-treasurer John Howard and then-Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. The film was completed in 1982 but its release was held back a year. Director Donald Crombie looked back on the film with mixed emotion:

That probably shouldn't have been made. It was a bit of an aberration. That only got made because we were flush with funds. That was when it became ridiculously easy to make films... There were better things we should have been doing with our time.

Reception

Reviews were mixed.

Home media

''Kitty and the Bagman'' was released on DVD by Umbrella Entertainment in October 2011. The DVD is compatible with all region codes.

References

External links

*
''Kitty and the Bagman''
at Oz Movies 1983 films 1980s crime films Australian crime films Films set in the 1920s Films directed by Donald Crombie Films scored by Brian May (composer) 1980s English-language films 1980s Australian films {{1980s-Australia-film-stub