My Brilliant Career

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Cast

Judy Davis
as Sybylla Melvyn

Sam Neill
as Harry Beecham

Wendy Hughes
as Aunt Helen

Robert Grubb
as Frank Hawdon

Max Cullen
as Mr. McSwat

Patricia Kennedy
as Aunt Gussie

Aileen Britton
as Grandma Bossier

Peter Whitford
as Uncle Julius

Carole Skinner
as Mrs. McSwat

Robert Austin
as Willie McSwat

Alan Hopgood
as Father

Julia Blake
as Mother

J. Anthony Hughes
as Peter McSwat

Tina Robinson
as Lizer McSwat

Aaron Corrin
as Jimmy McSwat

Sharon Crouch
as Sarah McSwat

Gerry Duggan
as Squatter

Simone Buchanan
as Mary Anne McSwat

Haylely Anderson
as Rosie Jane McSwat

David Franklin
as Horace

Tony Hughes
as Peter McSwat

Aaron Wood
as Stanley

Ray Meagher
as Mailman

Marion Schad
as Gertie

Max Meldrum
as Mr. Harris

Suzanne Roylance
as Biddy

Mark Spain
as Tommy McSwat

Zelda Smyth
as Ethel

Dorothy St. Heaps
as Mrs. Derrick

Bobbie Ward
as Mrs. Butler

Amanda Pratt
as Blanche Derrick

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News & Interviews for My Brilliant Career

Critic Reviews for My Brilliant Career

Audience Reviews for My Brilliant Career

• Jul 19, 2012

  A woman with literary aspirations falls for an upper class man who tempts her toward marriage, away from her work. The film sets up a familiar dichotomy: Sybylla finds that she must either pursue her career ambitions or settle down to the expectations of Victorian society and marry. Obviously, this is a familiar construct, one replayed to perfection in Henry James's <i>Portrait of a Lady</i>, but what I found lacking in <i>My Brilliant Career</i> was an exploration of who Sybylla is as an artist. After all, whether or not her book is good and should be written is significant. Instead, what becomes clear is how she doesn't fit in with Victorian, upper-class society and seems even more out of place with lower class society. Her only connection is with Harry Beecham, whom she rejects to pursue her work. Overall, because one side of the conflict is never fully explored, I found most of <i>My Brilliant Career</i> lacking.
  Jim H Super Reviewer
• Sep 07, 2009

  Slow moving enlightenment drama with Judy Davis giving an excellent performance as usual. The characters are just to remote to really engage you leaving you feeling little for their stuggles.
  jay n Super Reviewer
• Jul 03, 2009

  Sybylla Melvyn is a girl with a spark. She's also a girl who refuses to let 19th century sensibilities extinguish it. Set in Australia in the late 1800's, <i>My Brilliant Career</i> chronicles the story of a woman years ahead of her time. Whoever cast Judy Davis as 'plain and ugly' ought to have their eyesight examined. Even without makeup she's absolutely radiant. Otherwise, she is perfectly suited for this engrossing, subtly romantic docudrama. Highly recommended.
  Randy T Super Reviewer

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