![Paulette McDonagh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Paulette_McDonagh.png)
Paulette de Vere McDonagh (11 June 1901 – 30 August 1978), was an Australian film director, who often worked in collaboration with her sisters
Phyllis
Phyllis is a feminine given name which may refer to:
People
* Phyllis Bartholomew (1914–2002), English long jumper
* Phyllis Drummond Bethune (née Sharpe, 1899–1982), New Zealand artist
* Phyllis Calvert (1915–2002), British actress
* P ...
and
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Isabella (surname), including a list of people
Places
United States
* Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...
. In 1933 it was claimed she was one of only five female film directors in the world.
At one stage they had offers to go to Hollywood. "Fox Films offered to send us," said
Phyllis McDonagh, "But we were sensible girls. We sat down and talked and decided we would end up very small fish in a big pond. At home we had work and a reputation."
Life and career
Paulette McDangh was born on 11 June 1901 in Sydney and one of seven children born to Annie Jane (Anita) Amora and John Michael McDonagh.
She was educated at the Catholic
Kincoppal School
, motto_translation = One Heart
, established =
, type = Independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school
, denomination = Roman Catholic
, religious_affiliati ...
in Elizabeth Bay, Sydney.
She collaborated alongside her sisters Isabel and
Phyllis
Phyllis is a feminine given name which may refer to:
People
* Phyllis Bartholomew (1914–2002), English long jumper
* Phyllis Drummond Bethune (née Sharpe, 1899–1982), New Zealand artist
* Phyllis Calvert (1915–2002), British actress
* P ...
to create and produce films. They were business partners, working together in the Australian film industry during the 1920s and 1930s. Paulette, was the youngest, and known to be the writer and director of their films while Phyllis acted as publisher and promoter, and Isabel was the star actress. Growing up in a bohemian and wealthy family, their home was a lavish back drop for most of their films, filled with antique furniture and rich colors.
Their first silent film, ''Those Who Love'' (1926), was funded privately by their family. Paulette took over the position of directing the screenplay when creative differences with
P. J. Ramster broke out. The sisters' risk taking attempt at film making paid off when the publication, ''Everyone's'', gave them a rave review,
stating:
The result is a dazzling triumph and which is said to be the best Australian film that has yet graced the screen. A Sydney girl whose histrionic ability is remarkable. Her splendid performance ranks with some of the best characterizations ever given to the screen by the world’s greatest stars.
In the wake of the financial success of ''Those Who Love'', the McDonagh sisters followed up with further silent films including ''
The Far Paradise'' (1928), and ''
The Cheaters'' (1930).
''The Far Paradise'' was a box office hit and acclaimed for its fine art techniques that were influenced not just by Australian film, but also Hollywood melodrama and German expressionism.
The melodramatic influences allowed for overacting on Isabel’s part while Phyllis and Paulette were able to create longer screen time for her to perform on her own. Isabel acted as a more interesting heroine than was common in most films of its time. Paulette the director had Isabel acting in different situations such as breaking and entering, cracking safes, and even in the arms of a lover. During this time period it was outside of the norm to show a woman on screen performing such roles, but this gave their silent films depth and a following of a greater and more appreciative crowd.
Despite their small budget, the sisters, and especially Paulette, were able to create society melodramas involving romance, sacrifice, and parental opposition.
Awards
Paulette McDonagh was inducted in the
Victorian Women's Honour Roll
The Victorian Honour Roll of Women was established in 2001 to recognise the achievements of women from the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. The Honour Roll was established as part of the cele ...
in 2001.
Later career
When Isabel and Phyllis retired from the film industry for various reasons, Paulette found it difficult to continue her work alone despite her efforts to persevere. In 1934 she took a job to work on a romantic epic based on the life of the Reverend John Flynn. With a budgetary shortfall and having no one to act or produce the film, Paulette was forced to drop the job.
With her film career ending, she continued to live with her younger siblings. Paulette died in Sydney on 30 August 1978.
Select filmography
*''
The Mystery of the Hansom Cab'' (1925) – extra
*''
Those Who Love'' (1926)
*''
The Far Paradise'' (1928)
*''
The Cheaters'' (1930)
*''Australia in the Swim'' (1931) – documentary
*''How I Play Cricket'' (1931) – documentary
*''The Mighty Conqueror'' (1932) – documentary
*''The Trail of the Roo'' (1932) – documentary
*''
Two Minutes Silence
''Two Minutes Silence'' is a 1933 Australian melodrama set during World War I based on Les Haylen's anti-war play. It was the fourth and last feature film by the Sydney-based McDonagh sisters, Paulette, Isobel and Phyllis, who called it "by far ...
'' (1933)
References
External links
*
Paulette McDonaghat
Australian Dictionary of Biography
The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...
Paulette McDonaghat
National Film and Sound Archive
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...
Paulette McDonaghat
Trove
Trove is an Australian online library database owned by the National Library of Australia in which it holds partnerships with source providers National and State Libraries Australia, an aggregator and service which includes full text document ...
''The Mighty Conqueror''at
Australian Screen Online
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...
''The Trail of the Roo''at
Australian Screen Online
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national co ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mcdonagh, Paulette
Australian film directors
1901 births
1978 deaths
Australian women film directors
Women film pioneers