MARY McKILLOP
Australia, 1988, 50 minutes, Colour.
Lorna Lesley, Annie Byron, George Whaley.
Directed by Mark Callan.
Mary Mc Killop is one of the Australians in the Bicentenary project, Mike Willesee's Australians. Mary McKillop? was the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph, an educationalist of the 19th century with forward-thinking ideas. She clashed with various Australian bishops, even being excommunicated at one stage. However, the congregation she founded continued and spread and has offered great service to the church and to education for over 100 years.
Lorna Lesley is effective in making Mary Mc Killop a credible character. There is a good supporting cast including Annie Byron as Joanna. George Whaley is an eccentric Bishop Shiel. While some liberties are taken with the facts for the sake of dramatisation, the dramatising of these incidents in Mary Mc Killop's life gives the opportunity for Australian audiences to understand something of her personality and mission.
1. The choice of Mary Mc Killop for one of Willesee's Australians? The significance of this Bicentenary project?
2. The telemovie style, brevity of length, focusing on particular episodes?
3. South Australia in the 19th century, the 1860s and '70s, the country town, the city? The atmosphere and period? Musical score?
4. Audience knowledge of Mary McKillop? Her impact on the church, founding of the Josephites, her candidacy for canonisation and sainthood?
5. The information given in the film,, the glimpse of her character and personality, her struggles, impact?
6. Lorna Lesley's performance as Mary: her situation, poverty, with her family in South Australia, tutoring? Her religious outlook? Wanting to work for the poor? Bishop Shiel and his attitude? The interest of Julian Tennyson Wood and his collaboration with Mary? Permissions for teaching, for the house? Mary's taking the house and the meeting with Joanna, the clash with Joanna about her faith and the loss of her children? Joanna's continued friendship, Joanna and the healthy birth of her baby, the sadness of its death and Mary's offer of comfort, the mystery of suffering? The woman who joined Mary? The children coming to the school? The situation of education in Australia in the 1870s? Schools for the poor? The clashes with Father Kennedy and his attack on Mary's aims, the ignorance of her sisters, style? The prostitute and Mary's friendliness, her taking the child in for education despite criticism?. The governor and his son and wanting special treatment? her refusal?
7. Bishop Shiel and his character, eccentricities? Friendship with Julian Tennyson Wood, being persuaded and giving permission for Mary's school? The criticisms of Father Kennedy? The pressure of the governor? The establishment of the order, the taking of vows? Financial problems? His pressure on Mary and her refusal? The solemn excommunication? His carriage being rubbished, his presence in the cathedral and people's criticisms?
8. The establishment of the religious order, training, Mary's becoming a nun, the habit, the lifestyle? Jull-an Tennyson Woods and financial difficulties? The opening of the money box? Father Kennedy and his criticisms, inspection, criticisms of the nuns, asking them catechism questions? the prostitute? the excommunication? The people turning against him?
9. Bishop Shiel and his lifting of the excommunication? Mary's success?
10. The boy with the tadpole, the symbol of her success? Joanna and the boy at Mary's grave at North Sydney?
11. Mary's heritage? Impact on Australia?
