# The Getting of Wisdom (film)

The Getting of Wisdom is a 1977 Australian film directed by Bruce Beresford and based on the 1910 novel of the same title by Henry Handel Richardson.
The film is set in 1890s Victoria, when Laura (Susannah Fowle) enters an exclusive Melbourne ladies' college based on Presbyterian Ladies' College. The film follows her struggle for acceptance, conformity, romance, friendship and achievement over the next four years. Lesbian overtones between a schoolgirl and a music teacher are made explicit in the film, more so than in Richardson's novel.
It also starred Barry Humphries, John Waters and Terence Donovan, and featured early career appearances by Kerry Armstrong, Sigrid Thornton, Noni Hazlehurst, Maggie Kirkpatrick and Julia Blake.
A musical theme runs through the story, with piano works by Beethoven, Schubert and Thalberg played by Sarah Grunstein.

## Plot

Laura Rambotham is sent to attend boarding school in Melbourne, Australia at the turn of the century. During her second year she tells everyone about a made-up romance between herself and the school's minister, Reverend Shepherd. She forms an attachment with an older student in her music class, Evelyn. When Evelyn leaves, Laura throws herself into her studies and wins the school literary and music prizes.

## Cast

* Susannah Fowle as Laura Tweedle Rambotham
* Hilary Ryan as Evelyn
* Terence Donovan as Tom McNamara
* Patricia Kennedy as Miss Chapman
* Sheila Helpmann as Mrs. Gurley
* Candy Raymond as Miss Zielinski
* Barry Humphries as Rev. Strachey
* John Waters as Rev. Shepherd
* Julia Blake as Isabella Shepherd
* Diana Greentree as Maisie Shepherd
* Monica Maughan as Miss Day
* Dorothy Bradley as Miss Hicks
* Kay Eklund as Mrs. Rambotham
* Maggie Kirkpatrick as Sarah
* Phillip Adams, cameo role as mathematics teacher
* Kerry Armstrong as Kate, one of the worldly-wise students
* Sigrid Thornton as Maria, one of the worldly-wise students
* Noni Hazelhurst
* Celia De Burgh as M.P.
* Kim Deacon as Lilith
* Alix Longman as Chinky
* Jo-Anne Moore as Tilly
* Amanda Ring as Cupid
* Janet Shaw as Bertha
* Karen Sutton as Pin, Laura's sister

## Production

Bruce Beresford wanted to make the film after The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972) and tried to get finance from Reg Grundy. Grundy said he would think about it if Beresford made a McKenzie sequel. Beresford made Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974) but Grundy declined to make Wisdom.
The film was the first production from the newly formed Victorian Film Corporation, which provided $100,000 with additional funding from the Australian Film Commission and the Nine Network. Six thousand girls were interviewed for the school pupil roles. It was shot at Methodist Ladies' College and in the town of Eddington in January and February 1977.

### Production crew

* Bruce Beresford – Director
* Michael Lake- Assistant Director
* Russel Karel – Production Manager
* Donald McAlpine – Director of Photography
* John Stoddart – Production Designer
* William Anderson- Editor
* Anna Senior – Costume Designer
* Desmond Bone-Sound Recording
* Gary Wilkins- Sound Recording
* Peter Fenton-Sound Mixing
* Moya Iceton – Continuity

## Box office

The Getting of Wisdom grossed $982,000 at the box office in Australia, which is equivalent to $4,517,200 in 2009 dollars.

## Awards

The Getting of Wisdom was nominated for five AFI Awards in 1978 and won in the Best Adapted Screenplay (Eleanor Witcombe) category.