Gillian Armstrong and Judy Davis (as the autobiographer, Sybilla Melvyn in the film, a woman named Miles Franklin in real life) made their stunning entrances into directing and acting stardom in this little gem of a film, stunningly photographed in the Outback of Australia by Donald McAlpine (whose genius would 20 yrs. later, be married to another Australian's genius, Baz Luhrmann, to bring us both "Romeo + Juliet" and the extraordinary "Moulin Rouge"), and who here brought the stark beauty of the Bush to life in glorious tones of gold and rust. This was later contrasted with the unexpectedly green, white-linen-ed, lush environment of Sybilla's grandmother's home, where she meets up with the quickly love-struck Harry Beecham (Sam Neill). Utterly charmed by her wit, energy, freedom of spirit, he is quickly bowled over by how different this untamed woman of the Outback is from his genteel friends, all of whom seem to have moved to Australia in order to transform it into England, and themselves into a sort of less costly version of the "aristocracy." He's unprepared for a woman whose early morning greeting consists of a pillow thrown out of a window onto his head, leading to an all-out pillow fight, when most of the young eligible women he knows are too busy learning to sip tea properly to even have the time, let alone the inclination, to chase him into a nearby meadow with a pillow as a weapon. Rolling around in the grass isn't what young ladies do at the turn of the century, even in only relatively civilized Australia, and this rollicking scene sums up both the reasons they get on so well and are so very imcompatible. For Sybilla, her playfulness is that of a free, fun-loving tomboy, while for him, it's more a form of courtship foreplay. He wants to marry her, and spends the whole movie waiting to hear the one word, "Yes."But Sybilla is not to be pinned down. She feels a sense of her own destiny, and giving that over to a marriage before she's 20 is not even conceivable for her. She wants to write, and her passion to do so is motivated by the deep compassion and despair she feels for the strong, beautiful, loving and prickly but lovable people of her harsh country, whom she sees as wasting their lives in an endless toil of day-to-day labor that she finds both noble and pointless. Her mother's early fade to old age, in stark contrast to her sister, who, having stayed behind with their mother, is still gorgeous and healthy, much to Sybilla's surprise (the difference between the two is emphasized by some cross-cutting). We see how life as a farmer's wife in the harsh Outback, working round the clock, having (and burying) baby after baby, has stretched her mother to a thin, exhausted shell of her former self. This grieves Sybilla, though she also is filled with admiration for her. It's this duality of experience that is at the heart of the story.
Sybilla's grandmother, elegantly played by Aileen Britton, is a gentle woman with a steel backbone, who has, in her own way, survived a challenging life despite the appearance of ease. She and her (other) daughter Helen, set out to transform Sybilla from wildcat to elegant young woman, combing out a mane of hair we would not see again until a few years later when Helena Bonham Carter showed up in "A Room with a View," giving her facials, teaching her to walk and talk like a lady, and trying (mostly in vain) to make this transformation more than skin deep.
As much as Sybilla enjoys the experiences of her new life, she doesn't lose any of the strength with which she was born and which was nurtured on the farm, and when she goes back to her family home she is as much at ease pulling a stuck cow out of the mud as she was in her grandmother's drawing room. Harry finds her here, watching in bewildered admiration from a distance in his perfect clothes and coiffed hair, and again their differences are underscored. It is nearly impossible to see them together, as one can't help but feel that to entirely give up this life would diminish her, yet neither do we want her to live alone and unloved. We are as conflicted as she is.
After a long time in the idyllic home of her grandmother, and after asking for and receiving Harry's promise that he'll give her two years to figure out what she wants and who she is before marrying him, Sybilla is forced to leave in order to work as a governess to pay off her father's debt. She is at first discouraged and resentful (particularly as the family lives in filth and ignorance, yet represent a greater economic health than her own fathers's), then falls in love with the family and gives them everything she has. There's a wonderful scene where she reads to them a story, printed on the newspaper the family has papered the walls with (to keep out the nighttime cold); she runs from paper to paper in search of the next chapter, the whole family mesmerized by her energetic and theatrical reading of the story. There is a wonderful irony in this section, which I will not give away here, but she is sent home, and it's this which leads to her to her return to her father's farm, where Harry finds her, and asks her to marry him. But Sybilla still can't promise--she has decided to become a writer, and begs for Harry's understanding. It's a heartbreaking scene between a strong woman, capable of great love yet unable to yet give up her independence, and a warm, good man who neither wants to compromise the woman he loves, nor his own love for her.
Throughout her adventures, she never loses sight of her goal, and by the end, her pencil-written, painstakingly produced manuscript (several inches high), is mailed off to a London publisher.
Franklin's book was published, and though it was out of print for a long time, I was lucky enough to find a 2nd hand one in a used book store. But perhaps the release of the film onto DVD will stimulate a new printing of the book, too. I recommend it as well. Her writing is down-to-earth and compelling, and clearly fulfilled her goal--she brings to life the people of her country vividly and with great respect and admiration. Both Armstrong and Davis seem to understand and respect how deeply the character of Sybilla lives, and work hard to bring her fully to life. So successful are they that poor Harry Beecham seems really too anemic for her--she lives so deeply that Harry's sheltered life has not grown him up to be as strong and complex as she is. This connundrum haunts her throughout the story.
"My Brilliant Career" was the first film I saw when I moved to Berkeley in 1980 to become a filmmaker, and it was certainly an inspiration. To be able to bring such characters to life and, more importantly to the screen, gave me hope that the art of cinema was still alive and well, despite the massive changes brought about in this country by the new "blockbuster" phenomenon. It was a small film, seen by lovers of cinema first, then, after word of mouth, by everyone, including the Academy, who nominated it. Of course, it had won many Australian and European awards already.
This little film launched three important careers, Judy Davis', Gillian Armstrong's, and Sam Neill's. For these careers, all brilliant, we should be grateful. That it's also a great work of cinematic art is a fabulous bonus, that now everyone will get to appreciate. It was a long wait, but worth it.
I first saw this movie on double bill following Night of the Shooting Stars (by the Taviani brothers) at a movie theater in Washington, D.C. It was like eating really good lasagna with a really good apple pie. You have to really focus on each film and not think about them together. A better partner to My Brilliant Career would be Pricilla, Queen of the Desert, Man from Snowy River, or Lantana. You could also have a Judy Davis film festival by watching it with Husbands and Wives, Impromptu, or that film she did about Judy Garland. For a Sam Neill film fest, watch the Reilly Ace of Spies series, The Piano, Plenty, or Cry in the Dark. Or, you can watch it by itself, like a piece of really good apple pie.
Buy My Brilliant Career (1979) Now
What's to say about "My Brilliant Career" that hasn't been said already? A superb first effort for then up and coming actors Judy Davis, Sam Neill, and director Gillian Armstrong. Those 3 are truly living up to the title of the film.In answer to the previous reviewers here on Amazon.com, true that the film isn't available on DVD or new VHS for that matter in the USA. I heard there was a problem with who had the rights to the film in the last 10 years. Supposedly, some Panamanian company acquired the rights inadvertantly with a package of forgettable Aussie films. Margaret Fink, the producer, said she nearly dropped dead when she heard this. Fortunately, Fink and Australia reacquired "My Brilliant Career" in the last couple of years through legal means. That's why "My Brilliant Career" has already been released on new DVDs in the UK and Australia. I bought the Australian DVD because of the widescreen presentation and DVD extras that it has which include a great commentary by Gillian Armstrong as well as short interviews with producer Margaret Fink, Gillian Armstrong, film footage from Canne with Fink, Davis, and Armstrong, and more. It cost me about $23 (includes shipping from Australia) for a brand new DVD which is a bargain compared to how much used tapes go for on ebay. The UK version is cheaper but has no xtras I think. These region coded 2 or 4 DVDs will not play on a typical DVD player sold in the USA, but you can easily find certain DVD players sold at Bestbuy, Target, computer stores, etc... that can be made multi-region (region free) so they can play any DVD in the world. I bought myself one particular brand/model for $50. If you don't want to buy a region free player, you can also play foreign DVDs on your computer DVD-ROM drive easily.
Hopefully, one day "My Brilliant Career" will be released in the USA in glorious DVD. The film has been broadcast on cable channels in the USA in the past year. Which could be a sign it will end up on DVD here eventually. Perhaps similar to how "Impromptu" appeared on cable, then a year later it was released on DVD. Cross your fingers!
Read Best Reviews of My Brilliant Career (1979) Here
This is really a treasure of a film. It is definitely one of the best depictions of a young woman who breaks away from the norm to follow her own calling life. The young woman who does this is Sybylla Melvyn (Judy Davis), a headstrong, self-possessed young Australian woman from the Bush, whose parents no longer have money to keep her and send her to live with her grandmother. Sybylla, who comes from little money, previous charm school training or "traditional refinement" in her home is in for a culture shock when she meets her grandmother and aunt, who are both refined and quite traditional in their beliefs about what proper women ought to do. Proper women should marry, abandon thoughts of independent living, and must remain at the beck and call of their husbands. This is not the life Sybylla imagines for herself. She is actually an outspoken, self-directed writer, with more than a glimmer of spunk and mischief in her eyes. Sybylla also knows she isn't "conventionally beautiful." This doesn't stop two suitors from trying their luck with the spunky young woman. The first is Frank Hawdon (Robert Grubb), an upper-class, uptight and arrogant man who works for her grandmother and picks her up at the train station. Sybylla lets him know in no uncertain terms that she doesn't return his affections. The second suitor is Harry Beecham (Sam Neill), a young man who starts out as "mates" with her, participates in a good-natured pillow fight with "Syb" and ends up with feelings for her that run deeper than friendship.This is an excellent period piece, set around circa 1900 in Australia, at a time where the opinion of women and their place in society was undergoing serious ruptures and transitions. Sybylla is a product and example of that rapture, and is truly an inspiration for any young woman who challenges convention. Judy Davis is masterful in her role and the supporting cast is equally engaging. Well done!
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This my favorite film of all time. I've seen it countless times and hope to see it many times more, and share it with my daughter in a few years.Judy Davis is electrifying as a young woman trying to find her place in the world. Sam Neill is sweet and understated as her would-be lover. Gillian Armstrong's direction is flawless. And the Australian scenery is a character in its own right.
I keep hoping this beautiful film will be re-released on the big screen, or at least on DVD. Don't miss it.
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