IMDb 7.1 2024 HD

Charmian Clift – Life Burns High

Charmian Clift – Life Burns High

2024
Documentary
80 min NR Australia
7.1 IMDB

Charmian Clift was one of the finest writers Australia has ever produced, with her popular touch which led hundreds of thousands of readers eagerly anticipating her weekly Sydney…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Rachel Lane
Starring
Marta Dusseldorp / Nadia Wheatley / Susan Johnson / Jane Caro / Jim Horton / Polly Samson / Suzanne Chick / Storry Walton

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

captivating bohemian tragic artistic passionate tumultuous poignant literary vibrant sacrifice intense compelling

Reviews

I
Imogen Davies
Mar 14, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This documentary promises a captivating journey into the life of Charmian Clift, a writer whose personal narrative rivalled the drama of her fiction. 'Life Burns High' delves into her celebrated newspaper column, her magnetic presence, and her passionate,…

S
Silas Croft
Mar 14, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

The story of Charmian Clift is ripe for cinematic exploration, and 'Life Burns High' appears to tackle it with a keen eye for biographical detail. The film highlights her remarkable talent as a writer, her striking persona, and…

G
Genevieve Dubois
Mar 14, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

Charmian Clift – Life Burns High is a richly textured biographical documentary that doesn't shy away from the complexities of its subject. It paints a vivid picture of a woman who defied convention, trading security for the intoxicating…

M
Marcus Bellwether
Mar 14, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This exploration of Charmian Clift’s life is undeniably fascinating, charting a course from popular success to a bohemian idyll that ultimately proved consuming. The film promises a deep dive into her tumultuous marriage to George Johnston and her…

E
Eleanor Vance
Mar 14, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Charmian Clift – Life Burns High offers a compelling portrait of an Australian literary icon whose life was as dramatic as her prose. Marta Dusseldorp, though not explicitly mentioned in the cast list provided for the film itself,…

FAQs

The documentary places significant emphasis on Charmian Clift's striking appearance, describing her as having 'movie star looks,' which contributed to her public persona. It delves deeply into the passionate, creative, and often tumultuous nature of her marriage to George Johnston. Furthermore, the film scrutinises her embrace of a bohemian lifestyle on Hydra, detailing the social scene, artistic connections, and personal relationships that were integral to her lived experience and ultimately shaped her destiny.