The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant
| The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Peter Andrikidis |
| Produced by |
Andrew Benson Greg Haddrick |
| Written by | Peter Berry |
| Starring |
Romola Garai Jack Davenport Alex O'Loughlin Sam Neill Tony Martin |
|
Release date
|
2005 |
|
Running time
|
408 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$15,000,000 (approx.) |
The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant is a 2005 film loosely based on the life of Mary Bryant, an English girl from Cornwall convicted of petty theft who was transported to the Australian Penal Colony on the First Fleet with other prisoners bound for Botany Bay. It is written by Peter Berry and directed by Peter Andrikidis. The film had a budget in excess of A$15 million, making it the largest-budget television mini-series produced in Australia.
Mary's story begins in her home, Cornwall, England where her village is starving to death. In desperation, she steals, landing her a place on the long voyage to Sydney, Australia along with other convicts.
Pregnant by a jailer, Mary is befriended by a quick-witted smuggler named Will. She is also aided by another on board, a stiff-necked, moralistic British officer named Lt Ralph Clarke, whose wife abandons him just as the ships set sail. His help was portrayed as a mission in humanity and social reform.
During a rough night at sea Mary hits her head on a bar and is knocked unconscious only to be saved by Will, with whom she becomes increasingly passionate. She is also cared for by Lt Clarke. Unaware that she is “with child”, Clarke asks permission from the Captain to let Mary stay with him. He believes that by educating her, he can reform her. Clarke has promised “the girl will remain an innocent under his charge” so, after finding out that she is pregnant, Clarke takes his anger out on one of the other female convicts (who insulted him) with a lash. Angered by his heartless act, Mary returns to the cells with the other prisoners.
After giving birth to her daughter on the ship, Mary and the other convicts arrive at Botany Bay. Mary named her daughter Charlotte, “after the ship”. Seeing the benefits of being a family, Mary soon marries Will and they have a son Emmanuel. Her determination is always to avoid the hunger of her upbringing and to save her children from a similar fate.
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Wikipedia