A lovely, beautifully acted first feature that launched both Judy Davis, who is amazing in this, and director Gillian Armstrong.
Its lost a little something revisiting it after all these years. While it's feminist ideals are inspiring and handled with complexity, there's a certain lack of emotion to it. We don't really get the deep bitter-sweetness of choosing loneliness over loss of self.
Also, that the film forces that choice seems a bit disingenuous. Nothing about Sam Neil's character that suggests he would repress our heroine – indeed he clearly loves her for the free spirit she is. To really have her need to make an either/or decision 'work' we'd need to go further into the relationship and her psychology.
Last, a number of the supporting roles tend towards clichés about both the upper and lower class. And that oversimplifying takes something away from the complex character Davis builds.
But all that said, there are beautiful images and magical moments. It just didn't quite hold up to my memories of first seeing it 30 years ago. But if you've never seen it, you still certainly should.
Its lost a little something revisiting it after all these years. While it's feminist ideals are inspiring and handled with complexity, there's a certain lack of emotion to it. We don't really get the deep bitter-sweetness of choosing loneliness over loss of self.
Also, that the film forces that choice seems a bit disingenuous. Nothing about Sam Neil's character that suggests he would repress our heroine – indeed he clearly loves her for the free spirit she is. To really have her need to make an either/or decision 'work' we'd need to go further into the relationship and her psychology.
Last, a number of the supporting roles tend towards clichés about both the upper and lower class. And that oversimplifying takes something away from the complex character Davis builds.
But all that said, there are beautiful images and magical moments. It just didn't quite hold up to my memories of first seeing it 30 years ago. But if you've never seen it, you still certainly should.