History Film / TheGettingOfWisdom

''The Getting of Wisdom'' is a 1977 Australian drama film directed by Creator/BruceBeresford and [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel of the same name]] by Henry Handel Richardson[[note]][[MoustacheDePlume real name]] Ethel Richardson[[/note]], starring Susannah Fowle, Hilary Ryan, Terence Donovan, Creator/{{John Waters|1948}}[[note]](no relation to [[Creator/JohnWaters the American filmmaker of the same name]])[[/note]], and Barry Humphries. The film also features early appearances by noted Australian actresses Creator/KerryArmstrong, Creator/SigridThornton, Noni Hazelhurst, Maggie Kirkpatrick, and Julia Blake. Set in [[TheGayNineties 1890s]] UsefulNotes/{{Melbourne}}, the film follows Laura Rambotham (Fowle) as she is sent to attend an exclusive boarding school. Over the next four years, she struggles with such issues as acceptance, conformity, romance, friendship, and achievement.

''The Getting of Wisdom'' is a 1977 Australian drama film directed by Creator/BruceBeresford and [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel of the same name]] by Henry Handel Richardson[[note]][[MoustacheDePlume real name]] Ethel Richardson[[/note]], starring Susannah Fowle, Hilary Ryan, Terence Donovan, John Waters[[note]](no relation to [[Creator/JohnWaters the American filmmaker of the same name]])[[/note]], and Barry Humphries. The film also features early appearances by noted Australian actresses Creator/KerryArmstrong, Creator/SigridThornton, Noni Hazelhurst, Maggie Kirkpatrick, and Julia Blake. Set in [[TheGayNineties 1890s]] UsefulNotes/{{Melbourne}}, the film follows Laura Rambotham (Fowle) as she is sent to attend an exclusive boarding school. Over the next four years, she struggles with such issues as acceptance, conformity, romance, friendship, and achievement.

''The Getting of Wisdom'' is a 1977 Australian drama film directed by Creator/BruceBeresford and [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel of the same name]] by Henry Handel Richardson[[note]][[MoustacheDePlume real name]] Ethel Richardson[[/note]], starring Susannah Fowle, Hilary Ryan, Terence Donovan, John Waters[[note]](no relation to [[Creator/JohnWaters the American filmmaker of the same name]])[[/note]], and Barry Humphries. The film also features early appearances by noted Australian actresses Kerry Armstrong, Creator/SigridThornton, Noni Hazelhurst, Maggie Kirkpatrick, and Julia Blake. Set in [[TheGayNineties 1890s]] UsefulNotes/{{Melbourne}}, the film follows Laura Rambotham (Fowle) as she is sent to attend an exclusive boarding school. Over the next four years, she struggles with such issues as acceptance, conformity, romance, friendship, and achievement.

* BoardingSchool: The film is set in an all-girls' one, based heavily on the real-life Methodist Ladies' College in Melbourne.

* StickyFingers: Annie, one of Laura's few genuine friends, has a habit of stealing items from the school staff, particularly money and jewelry. Once they find out, she is immediately expelled.

* SternTeacher: Mrs. Gurley is a quintessential example. The first thing she does is lay down the rules of the school, which she expects NaiveNewcomer Laura to uphold to the letter. Later, she chastises Laura for playing [[Music/LudwigVanBeethoven Beethoven]]'s "Sonata no. 21 in C Major" on the piano instead of the kind of music that she's expected to play

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Some of the girls casually express anti-Semitic and racist remarks, including a few directed at half-Asian student Annie Johns, whom they nickname "Chinky". Laura at times expresses such remarks as well, although she comes across as more InnocentlyInsensitive than anything else, possibly as a consequence of her less well-off upbringing.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Some of the girls casually express anti-Semitic and racist remarks, including a few directed at a half-Asian student, whom they nickname "Chinky". Laura at times expresses such remarks as well, although she comes across as more InnocentlyInsensitive than anything else, possibly as a consequence of her less well-off upbringing.

* StickyFingers: Chinky, one of Laura's few genuine friends, has a habit of stealing items from the school staff, particularly money and jewelry. Once they find out, she is immediately expelled.

* RichBitch: Most of the girls come from rich families, and aren't exactly the most pleasant people to be around, especially if you aren't from the same social strata as them.

''The Getting of Wisdom'' is a 1977 Australian drama film directed by Creator/BruceBeresford and [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel of the same name]] by Henry Handel Richardson, starring Susannah Fowle, Hilary Ryan, Terence Donovan, John Waters[[note]](no relation to [[Creator/JohnWaters the American filmmaker of the same name]])[[/note]], and Barry Humphries. The film also features early appearances by noted Australian actresses Kerry Armstrong, Creator/SigridThornton, Noni Hazelhurst, Maggie Kirkpatrick, and Julia Blake. Set in [[TheGayNineties 1890s]] UsefulNotes/{{Melbourne}}, the film follows Laura Rambotham (Fowle) as she is sent to attend an exclusive boarding school. Over the next four years, she struggles with such issues as acceptance, conformity, romance, friendship, and achievement.

%% AMFMCharacterization
%% AmbiguouslyGay: Laura.
%% AsTheGoodBookSays: The film's title derives from a verse in Deuteronomy XXII.
%% AtTheOperaTonight
%% BoardingSchool
%% DeliberateValuesDissonance
%% DreadfulMusician:

%% EpicFail

%% HomoeroticSubtext
%% HotForPreacher

* PennyAmongDiamonds: Laura comes from a working-class background, in sharp contrast to her fellow students. This causes a great deal of tension between her and the other girls.

%% PutOnABus: Maria, once she gets engaged to an unknown man.
%% RickBitch

%% SternTeacher: Mrs. Gurley.
%% StickyFingers