But despite those virtues – or perhaps because of them – the people around her, constituents of an atavistic male-dominated hierarchy, remain unconvinced of her success and deeply sceptical of her intentions. Sybylla’s aspirations are realised in the sense that her independence is protected, her integrity maintained and her creative voice given an outlet. Part of the strength and nuance of Armstrong’s film (and the book on which it was based) is that the end result is both – and neither. The themes of the film are broad (breaking free of the establishment, being true to yourself) and its message about the virtues and consequences of self-empowerment timeless.įrom that opening moment it’s unclear whether Sybylla’s “brilliant career” is wishful thinking or an ambition destined to be realised by the closing credits. With those sun-baked rural locations, it’s obvious from the get-go that My Brilliant Career will be a quintessentially Australian story, set in a quintessentially Australian context. While a sandstorm erupts in the dusty outback around her she writes a diary entry reflecting on her desire to belong to the world of art and literature. I make no apologies for being egotistical because I am,” Sybylla intones in her opening narration, with a characteristically smug, holier-than-thou temperament that makes her one of the most memorable characters in Australian cinema.
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