A stoic frontier woman harbors an Aboriginal fugitive in this earnest and didactic western.
In the western drama, “The Legend of Molly Johnson,” the actress Leah Purcell directs and stars as the title character, a pregnant mother in the developing Australian town of Everton. Molly is a stoic woman. She’s skilled with a gun, and content in the dangerous hills despite the absence of her husband. But Molly’s seclusion is disturbed when an Aboriginal man stumbles to her doorstep.
The man, Yadaka (Rob Collins), takes refuge in her home. He’s a fugitive, wanted for murder. But despite Molly’s initial caution in his presence, she finds much to discuss with her houseguest, who is proud of his background and his skin color. Yadaka bonds with Molly’s oldest child, Danny (Malachi Dower-Roberts), teaching him to use a spear, and telling him circus tales from his past. A tenuous bond forms between the trio, and the connection grows when secrets from Molly’s past are uncovered, revealing that the taciturn host and her stowaway guest share surprising similarities.
“The Legend of Molly Johnson” is a reframing of the frontier in Australia, and Purcell’s direction is not subtle. Here, the lawmen are the violent vandals, while Aboriginal people defend their lives, their families and their land to the death. The music swells for Molly and Yadaka as they slowly warm up to each other. The grounded performances by Purcell and Collins stand out in contrast to the actors cast as townspeople, who recite their lines in wooden British accents. It’s an earnest film, one that glows with pride at Aboriginal resilience. But the impression it leaves is didactic, a saints and demons fable that meanders to foregone conclusions.
The Legend of Molly Johnson
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 49 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
