An Australian film based on a 1901 novel by the Australian feminist writer, Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (writing as Miles Franklin). It was the first, and best known, of her numerous novels.
Sybylla (Judy Davis) is a free-spirited daughter in a poor farming family. She is the oldest daughter and dreams of being a writer along with her other interests, including music. Sybylla considers herself very plain, a self-perception encouraged by her family. She is sent to live with her maternal Grandmother Bossier (Aileen Britton) who is quite well-to-do. While there two young men show interest in her--Frank (Robert Grubb) and Harry (Sam Neill). Frank is from England and will inherit a sizeable estate but is a bit of a doofus. Harry, a childhood friend, appears to be well-to-do, though we learn his property is under threat of seizure.
Sybylla considers Frank uninteresting, though her grandmother tries to push her towards him. Sybylla spends time at Harry's estate (under the watchful eye of Aunt Bessie). Sybylla and Harry develop a quite intense friendship, though Harry seems uncertain about how to advance the relationship, and Sybylla fears what marriage would do to her dreams of writing. Their relationship ebbs and flows, especially at a ball at Harry's home, where he proposes to Sybylla and she turns him down saying she is not ready and asks for two years to decide.
Because her family's finances have become even more difficult, Sybylla has to tutor the unschooled, undisciplined children of a large family to whom her father owes money. When her time there ends under amusing circumstances, she again encounters Harry who asks again for her hand in marriage. She declines again because of her dreams. The final scene shows her mailing a manuscript to a Scottish publisher. A note at the end says the book was published in 1901.
"My brilliant career" is not especially profound, but is very engaging and reflects early Australian feminism. Judy Davis does an excellent portrayal of Sybylla, though it is said that Davis was not fond of the film.
Sybylla (Judy Davis) is a free-spirited daughter in a poor farming family. She is the oldest daughter and dreams of being a writer along with her other interests, including music. Sybylla considers herself very plain, a self-perception encouraged by her family. She is sent to live with her maternal Grandmother Bossier (Aileen Britton) who is quite well-to-do. While there two young men show interest in her--Frank (Robert Grubb) and Harry (Sam Neill). Frank is from England and will inherit a sizeable estate but is a bit of a doofus. Harry, a childhood friend, appears to be well-to-do, though we learn his property is under threat of seizure.
Sybylla considers Frank uninteresting, though her grandmother tries to push her towards him. Sybylla spends time at Harry's estate (under the watchful eye of Aunt Bessie). Sybylla and Harry develop a quite intense friendship, though Harry seems uncertain about how to advance the relationship, and Sybylla fears what marriage would do to her dreams of writing. Their relationship ebbs and flows, especially at a ball at Harry's home, where he proposes to Sybylla and she turns him down saying she is not ready and asks for two years to decide.
Because her family's finances have become even more difficult, Sybylla has to tutor the unschooled, undisciplined children of a large family to whom her father owes money. When her time there ends under amusing circumstances, she again encounters Harry who asks again for her hand in marriage. She declines again because of her dreams. The final scene shows her mailing a manuscript to a Scottish publisher. A note at the end says the book was published in 1901.
"My brilliant career" is not especially profound, but is very engaging and reflects early Australian feminism. Judy Davis does an excellent portrayal of Sybylla, though it is said that Davis was not fond of the film.