The Monkey's mask

Dorothy Porter’s prose novel, “The Monkey’s Mask” was a tantalizing blend of the noir aesthetic, nocturnal sexual desire and the back stabbing Sydney literary scene. Given that, director Samantha Lang’s task to translate it into a coherent cinematic whole proves a challenging task. Susie Porter stars as Sapphic private detective Jill Fitzpatrick, who is called in to investigate the mysterious disappearance of literature student and grunge poet, Mickey Norris (Abbie Cornish). Jill’s investigation leads her to Mickey’s lecturer, the sensuous Diana (Kelly McGillis), who although married and a potential suspect, Mickey begins a passionate affair with. Lang and her cast have plenty of fun with the unlikely coupling of the gritty film noir genre and the cliquey Sydney poetry scene, mixing the two at times to witty effect. Lang and screenwriter Anne Kennedy also play with the literary form by dividing the film into chapter headings and having the characters recite some of Dorothy Porter’s elegant prose. Cast includes Deborah Mailman, Marton Csokas, William Zappa, Chris Haywood and Annie Jones.