In Development – The Untold Story Of Jessie Bell Ray

Feature Film

A remote rural outpost, Hunter Valley 1921. Jessie Payne, a woman of many aliases, is released from prison on a 12-month bond to an ambitious property owner, ‘Fitz’ Henry. Jessie, formerly a beloved circus star, has fallen from grace stealing horses and cattle to survive when her own circus disbanded due to the war.

Arriving at Fitz’s farm, Jessie is fast to school his volatile young son, Lyall, in taming a wild horse. Her daring and horse-riding skill impresses Fitz and he begins courting her.

Jessie warms to Fitz’s kindness, and she is equally impressed with his ambition. But his true colours soon emerge, and she sees him for what he is – a master manipulator and exploiter of other people’s ill fortune.

Discovering she is pregnant, with months left on her bond, Jessie continues to work for Fitz but rejects his advances. If she breaks her bond, she knows she will be hauled back to prison. Tensions mount between her and Fitz, and her pregnancy rankles the other men, but she finds a kindred spirit in handsome Aboriginal stockman Jack Brown and a shared love of horses and magic trickery.

Fitz’s jealousy simmers as Jessie and Jack’s friendship strengthens. He remains determined to get what he wants  – to own Jessie and her unborn child. One night, making sure they are alone, Fitz unleashes his anger. Fearing for her life and her child’s, Jessie flees, leaving Fitz collapsed in a burning barn. Only later does she learn he is dead, and she is wanted for his murder.

Jessie seeks to escape over the impressive mountain range on her beloved horse, Houdini. She is determined to get to the port of Newcastle, jump ship to America and fulfil her dream of joining the Greatest Show on Earth.

But Lyall, Fitz’s son, is hell-bent on revenge. He corrals a group of drunk, gun-toting ex-soldiers to hunt her down. Meanwhile, washed-up city cop Sergeant Barlow sets off to bring Jessie in and redeem himself. Despite his mistrust of the law, Jack decides to help Barlow, realising they must find Jessie before Lyall does.

Even with Jessie’s daring and skill, the mountain wilderness proves formidable, and she loses her premature baby. Heartbroken, she continues, pushing Houdini higher up the mountain, searching for a way to cross over. Using his own expert bushcraft, Jack tracks her and keeps just ahead of Lyall but discovers that his sergeant is opium-addled and a liability.

Lost on a mountain ridge and desperate for water, Jessie encounters two Aboriginal women, Alice and Molly, also on the run with their young children, who they have just rescued from a mission. At first, the women are suspicious of Jessie, but when she helps to save one of their babies, they become allies in their escape.

In the company of Alice and Molly and their children, the mountain reveals itself to be a gentler place of beauty and wonder, and Jessie’s healing begins. The women guide her to a shortcut – a hidden valley that delivers them to the glimmering port city of Newcastle, where they must go their separate ways.

Jessie thinks she has finally shaken her pursuers, but Lyall ambushes her. Barlow intervenes only to arrest her, but he doesn’t count on Jack’s loyalty to Jessie.

As with all magic, the hand is faster than the eye, and Jack gives Jessie a playful message that only she can understand. Barlow is outwitted, and Jessie is triumphant as she escapes to fulfil her circus dream – as star performer ‘Jessie Bell Ray’ in The Greatest Show on Earth.

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Production Team

Directed by Jasmin Tarasin

Producer – Lucy Maclaren

Executive Producer – Tim White

Executive Producer – Deanne Weir

Writer – Polly Watkins

Story Editor – John Collee

Production Designer – Chris Kennedy

DOP – Katie Milwright

First AD Mark Boskellz

Costume Design – Margot Wilson

Make Up Design – Zeljka Stanin

Soundtrack – Warren Ellis and Cat Power

Editor – Gabriella Muir

VFX - Altvfx

Casting - Anousha Zarkes