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My Brilliant Career

Sybylla

Transformation scene:
● Sybylla dressed up for dinner in a formal dress, her hair up in a bun, a ribbon in her hair,
impatient to look at her new self in the mirror. Sybylla is pleased at the
transformation/change into an elegant young woman ...... but she is still a little girl at
heart, who is excited to learn that Uncle JJ is visiting.

26:08
● What transformation has taken place? Superficially Sybylla is elegant and confidently
flings open the dining room doors to greet Uncle JJ. This is as close as Sybylla gets to
blossoming into the transformed duckling.
● Uncle JJ's reaction to her is to comment on Sybylla's looks, "My God, you're a good
looking young lady". She has been transformed - she's no longer ugly, plain (& useless).

26:40
● Harry has been caught out but we see Sybylla is a "good sort" (as Frank pronounced
when he met her) and enjoys the fact that she and Harry are in on the joke, while Frank is
on the outer.

27:46
● Sybylla provokes Harry (plays with him as a cat would a mouse). This changes/subverts
the power levels. Sybylla laughs after Frank gallantly opines that she should have called
him and he would have sorted it out, saying, "I can look after myself, Frank". Uncle JJ
responds, "Good girl" - not the response that Grandmother and Aunt Helen would have
responded with.

soon after 36:52

● Aunt Gussie is less contained than Grandmother - less disapproving but still forthright
(like Sybylla). They both have a wicked sense of humour but for Gussie, it is without the
primness and pomposity of Grandmother. Gussie has a softer face and her smile looks
like she'd be up for fun.

34:44
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● We hear Aunt Helen's back story.

● Aunt Helen (pearls, high collar, brooch, hair up, wearing make-up) is juxtaposed with
Sybylla - who is much less tamed - (freckles, costume is more workday/everyday, dull
colours, hair tied down and back in long plait down her back). Sybylla has
unconventional beauty, which is contrasted with Aunt Helen's conventional beauty
(unblemished, smooth skin).

41:49
● Sybylla testing the waters (of friendship/relationship with Harry) by standing up and
deliberately rocking the boat (literally and metaphorically) to take back the control and
power by making Harry (& her) lose their balance & fall into the river. Very unladylike.
● Sybylla isn't ready for a sexual courtship - she has a crush on Harry but enjoys being
mates with him:
- dunking him into the river, flirting harmlessly with him ("Race you home!")
- duet at the piano
- pillow fight

● Sybylla swinging on a swing while Aunt Gussie and Harry have afternoon tea & Aunt
Gussie reminding Harry that Sybylla is very young.

52:38
● We see Sybylla's compassion in helping out her fellow mankind who are down on their
luck by giving them bags of food. She knows too well from her home what it's like to be
poor so she hands out the bags, while Grandmother, Aunt Helen and Uncle JJ watch but
don't help.

1:03:09
● Sybylla enters a different world, where she feels she can belong, be accepted and can
enjoy herself - lively and energetic. There's a certain impropriety by mixing with the
servants and Sybylla leaving the ball alone for the party, shows her independence.

1:09:32
● Sybylla greets Harry and they revert back to childhood nicknames (as mates?) - Silly Syb

1:13:47
● Sybylla up a tress with kittens, writing, hair is down, apron on.

● Kittens/cats, like Sybylla, can never fully be tamed and domesticated, like dogs. Cats are
companions but they are notoriously independent; they're not loyal, like dogs.
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1:15:39
● We see Sybylla out of the gentrified world of Caddagat and Five Bob Downs & back to
her beginnings. But now her dress and hair-do is out of place amongst the McSwats. She
doesn't fit in either world anymore.

1:17:53
● Sybylla is aghast at the contrast between the world of Caddagat (where she didn't fit in)
and the world of the McSwats (where she also doesn't fit in). She experiences culture
shock. She's not a snob but this is too much for her - having Jimmy eat with a knife and
leaning across to steal food from her plate. She can't correct the manners of the children
because they are copying their parents, who know no better.

1:18:27
● The look Sybylla gives the children is reminiscent of the looks Grandmother Bossier
would give to her.
● 1:19:10

● Sybylla enforces her authority (which as viewers, we know is contradictory, an anathema

to her personality).

1:26:31
● Sybylla bends down compassionately to help a bogged cow to dryer ground. She is
unconcerned by how dirty she will become - the straw hat (from the start) reappears,
apron on, workboots on.

1:26:10
● Untamed Sybylla - she maintains the same re-enactment of the scene - reinforcing the
idea of mates, not lovers. She continues with her task of rescuing the cow - she doesn't
forget what she's doing. Practical life first, romance second.

1:31:56 - end
● Sybylla walking out, hair up - she loos contented, satisfied, pleased with herself.

● She kisses the package (symbolic of her love for it).

● She rests her arms on the fence/gate in the beautiful colours of the dawn (symbolic of the
future); she is reflective, contemplative
● We hear the music motif that has run throughout the film ("Scenes from Childhood" by
Robert Schuman) as Sybylla lifts her head up to meet the new day (symbolic of ?) Then
she stretches out her arms across the gate and slaps the top rung (with pleasure and
determination) and looks up to the sky.
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● Sybylla has begun what she wanted – a career, without compromising herself and her
ideals/values.

1:32:58
● Her hair is less wild, soft light & beautiful brown colours.
1:33:01
● Superb final shot - sun rising (link to career?). Sybylla is leaning on gate (strangely, she is
inactive, now), arms outstretched (on this side of the gate) - what might she be looking
at?

● Silhouette of Sybylla - blended pinks - why might this be used as the final shot?

● The camera is behind her - why?

● Does the final shot remind you of anything else? A religious reference? Why?