re mn MY BRILLIANT CAREER. Starring Judy Davis and Sam Neill. Directed by Gill Armstrong. At the Bay Theatre, Vancouver. My Brilliant Career, a semi- autobiographical book penned by Miles Franklin, a 16-year-old girl living in the Australian out- back at the turn of the century who rebelled against marriage as her feminine lot, provided direc- tor Gillian Armstrong and pro- ducer Margaret Fink with the basis for a beautiful period movie with a contemporary theme. ‘My Brilliant Career tells the story of Sybylla Melvyn (played superbly by Judy Davis) who re- jected the traditional role and status of women with the same passionate intensity that she em- braced a ‘‘non-traditional’’ literary career for herself. The movie opens with Sybylla living with her family on their dry, dusty cattle ranch at what seems the very frontiers of civilization. Her artistic aspirations prove in- compatible with her mother’s (Julia Blake) practical rieed for her daughter to become financial- ly independent either by working as a maid, or through marriage. (There is a severe drought.) Sybylla refuses and is sent off to her rich, aristocratic grand- mother’s estate, Caddagat, when she reaches marriagable and un- manageable age at the same time. After rejecting the hilarious suit of Frank Hawdon (played for all its worth by Robert Grubb) Sybylla literally falls into the arms of handsome neighbouring lan- Ai | downer, Harry Beecham (Sam Neill). The spark between them develops into a full-blown rela- tionship in the romantic time, their passion is played out against the backdrop of the Australian country aristocracy — where gracious mansions with servants are set like jewels on vast cattle spreads. Beecham wants to marry her but Sybylla wavers; interestingly because a short time before she had declared she would only marry for love, to the shock of her grandmother and aunt. Their relationship is still unresolved when two major events — Sybylla’s recall from Caddagat to work as a teacher to \pay off a family debt, and the [A film tha Hollywood tradition, ory this ~ * - Career. near financial ruin of Beecham — force them apart. During this period, Sybylla’s developing social conscience and her unabating desire to make a career for herself as a novelist overshadow her other urge to marry the man she loves. The key word here is ‘‘semi- autobiographical,”” because how Sybylla’s life unfolds in the movie and book is different in key respects to the life of her creator, Miles Franklin. Although they make the same choices — strike out on their own as independent, career-oriented women — their lives tell another story, and I suggest that Miles. Franklin’s own life would have provided the basis for an even better, more provocative movie in terms of the issues it would raise. Franklin never went to her grandmother’s Talbingo estate (Caddagat) — her younger, pret- tier, more tractable sister did. At 16 years of age, as the movienotes indicate, Franklin decided to - write a novel and produced My Brilliant Career in a matter of t could have Sybylla Melvyn (Judy Davis) muses about her independence in the arms of lover Harry Beecham (Sam Neill) in a scene from My Brilliant been *. Tene weeks while living on her parent’s ranch, Stillwater. When it was finally published, it took five years of trying — her family was upset by its -autobiographical nature. : Franklin’s reaction was bitter and swift. She left home, went to Sydney where she freelanced and worked on a second novel for which she was unable to find a publisher. Disillusioned, she left Australia in 1905 for the United States and there joined Alice Henry in organizing the Women’s Trade Union Leaguein Chicago. Here a script could have been written and a movie made, more thrilling, more relevant than Franklin’s first, somewhat fan- ciful novel now adapted for the screen. Here the exciting talents of Australian actress Judy Davis could be put to even better use, struggling not only in the personal realm but the political arena as well, for that brilliant career she dreamed of and worked unceas- ingly for. Janice Harris } Concert: Speaker: : Playhouse (in conjunction with lin Solidarity with Chile PUELCHE — traditional Chilean music SERPICO— well-known Chilean singer CHILDREN OF TAIKAYO — West coast ; Native dance troupe JOHN HARKER — Canadian Labor Congress, spokesperson on international Affairs Sunday, September 14 8 p.m. Queen Elizabeth Tickets: $ at B.C. Federation of Labor office, Co-op Bookstore, Pacific Tribune office or ___ by phoning 254-9797 Sponsored by B.C. Federation of Labor Canadians for Democracy in Chile) ‘ Chile vote fraud Continued from page 1 democratic elections until at least 1989 and possibly until 1997. All political parties and people’s organizations’ would remain il- legal. : As the referendum date nears, mounting protests within Chile and around the world have denounced the credibility of the vote. Last week miners at the Chuquicamata copper mine, the world’s largest open pit mine, downed tools in a protest against the referendum. Also last week, a special petition to Pinochet was submitted by 120 prominent Chileans of different political backgrounds pointing out that there can be no valid plebiscite as long as the “‘state of emergency” in the country continues. On August 27, 10,000 people packed Santiago’s largest theatre, ° the Coliseo Caupolican, to hear former Chilean president and Christian Democrat leader Eduar- do Frei denounce the plebiscite as ‘illegal science fiction and a fraud which does not meet minimum conditions to guarantee its legality.”’ Outside the theatre, thousands moremarched in protest before helmeted police with sticks and shields broke up the demonstration. Chile Democratico, the external voice of the Popular Unity parties, has said that the plebiscite will be taking place “‘in a climate of terror.’’ The resistance organiza- tion cites the mass arrests at May Day and International Womens Day and growing repression against students and labor leaders, together with an upsurge of “paramilitary bands’’ acting under the protection of the military authorities. : , The Havana daily Granma reported August 17 that more than 500 people were arrested in San- tiago in the first days of August - while a right wing terrorist group, “the Martyrs Revenge Commando Group”’ operated openly in the ci- ty Resistance actions are also grow- ing, Granma reports. In the 20 months previous to July, 198 arm- ed actions, many against army and police headquarters, had been successfully ‘carried through with practically no arrests. On July 28, said Granma, resistance forces in the ‘‘people’s militia”’ carried out a simultaneous (CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING _) COMING EVENTS SEPT. 18 — Canadian Cuban Friend- ship Association meets third Thursday of each month, 8 p.m., Rm. L4, Britan- nia Centre, Van. All welcome. Winners of the raffle held on July 27 were: Ist prize— David Kynoch; 2nd prize—- Ross Maxwell; 3rd prize — Amy Okada. SEPT. 20 — Housewarming, Mike & Sue's, 2128 Grant St., Van. 8p.m. Pro- ceeds to COPE campaign. All wel come. Bring your friends. SEPT. 20 — 50th Anniversary Ban- quet of the Federation of Russian Canadians at 600 Campbell Ave., - Van. Cocktails — 5:30 p.m., dinner —7p.m., dancing 9 p.m. on. Adm. $8, Everyone welcome. COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL, plumbing, appli- ance repairs. Don Berg. 255-7287. ROOF REPAIRS — Reasonable. New . roofs and alum. gutters, 277-1364 or 277-3352. RON SOSTAD. Writer, re- searcher. Will do: essays, letters, manuscripts, labor and civic pro- jects, labor journalism. 688-3709. LEGAL SERVICES Rankin, Stone, McMurray, Bar- risters and Solicitors. 500 Ford Building, 193 East Hastings St., Vancouver 682-7471. CONNIE FOGAL, lawyer, #8 — Gaoler’s Mews, Vancouver (Gas- town), B.C. 687-0588. HALLS FOR RENT RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME — Available for rentals. For reserva- tions phone 254-3430. WEBSTERS CORNERS HALL — Available for banquets, meetings, etc. For rates: Ozzie, 325-4171 or 685-5836. UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CUL- TURAL CENTRE — 805 East Pender St., Vancouver. Available for banquets, weddings, meetings. Ph. 254-3436. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—SEPT. 12; 1980—Page 11 ~ attack on three major banks in Santiago and “‘expropriated’”’ a large sum of money. Chile Democratico has called for solidarity actions around the world to condemn the referendum. It was in response to that call that the nine Chilean refugees in Van- couver launched their 48 hour hunger strike last Friday to draw attention to the referendum. The nine began the strike at 9 a.m. Fri- day at the Vancouver Indian Cen- tre where they remained until Sun- day evening. ‘‘We are doing what we can to join hands with out brothers and sisters in Chile,’’ a.spokesman for the nine told the Tribune Saturday. The Chileans were asking for in- dividuals and organizations to send letters and telegrams denouncing the referendum to Pinochet at Edificio Diego Portales, Santiago. Don’t dam the Stikine Joe Murphy, Telegraph Creek, writes: On Saturday, August 30, over 250 people from the commun- ities of Iskut, Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake participated in a meeting in the Iskut community hall. A wide range of people delivered speeches expressing unanimous op- position to proposed damis on the another speaker representing Native Indians, residents and clergy, emotionally expressed how the dams would bring about the complete destruction of their land, communities and livelihoods. The consensus among all present was that the dams cannot and will not be built. The meeting was co-sponsored by Residents for a Free-Flowing Stikine, and the Iskut and Tahltan tribal councils. It was advertised throughout the region as a chance for local residents to express their concern about B.C. Hydro’s pro- posed dams. Representatives from the following groups were among those who publicly voiced opposi- tion to both the proposed dams and any further studies or development by B.C. Hydro in the region: the tribal councils of both the Iskut and Tahltan Native bands, as well as the Stikine River Fishermans’ Association, and the Residents for a Free-Flowing Stikine. Omission Mary Billick, executive director, Lower Mainland Community Housing Registry, writes: I wrote you on August 28, 1980. I find you have omitted the last paragraph of my letter in response to an article on People and Issues the week before. I hope you can rectify the omission. The last paragraph read: “‘Neither did you mention the brief which was also presented to Surrey Council, and our tangible support of 700 names collected in our office at New Westminster from disgruntled clients from commer- cial rental agencies.”’ ae Meee ee A a