MOLLY
Australia, 1983, 88 minutes, Colour.
Claudia Karvan, Garry Mc Donald, Reg Lye, Melissa Jaffer, Ruth Cracknell, Ray Marshall, Ken Snodgrass, Kerry Dwyer.
Directed by Ned Lander.
Molly is a pleasing children’s film. It is a dog film – with the young Claudia Karvan as Maxie whose dog, Molly, is able to ‘sing’ along to music. So, a blend of realism and fantasy.
The film is humorous, warm in its picture of relationships, pleasing in its presentation of dog as a girl’s best friend.
Claudia Karvan was to make a number of films as a child actress, including High Tide with Judy Davis. In the 1990s she established herself as one of the most prominent of Australian actresses and then continued, not going overseas, but as a star in Australian film and especially television. Veterans like Garry Mc Donald and Ruth Cracknell are good standbys in the cast.
The film was directed by actor Ned Landers who had directed the strong, small-budget film about Aboriginal bands and racial prejudice in South Australia, Wrong Side of the Road (1981).
1. An entertaining children's film? Family film? About children? Animals? The singing dog? The circus? The villain?
2. The atmosphere of the Australian countryside? The country town? Sydney? The beach suburbs? The beaches and the circus? Authentic atmosphere and flavour?
3. The attraction of the circus? The singing dog? The range of circus acts? The clowns? The importance of the songs and their lyrics? The cabaret touch? Dreams etc.?
4. The contribution of the music and the songs?
5. Molly as the focus of the film? Circuses and sideshows and singing dogs? The pub sequence and Molly's demonstration - the bet? Her being taken to the circus? The novelty? How well did the film capitalise on Molly's talent - as attractive dog? As singing dog?
6. Molly as character? An attractive dog? Dan and his long looking after her? The performance in the pub? Maxie and her liking for Molly? The train ride? Jones and his work at the pub? His evil designs on Molly? The Central Railway sequence and Jones stalking Molly and Maxie? Dan's heart attack and bequest to Maxie? Maxie taking the dog to the school? Her being asked to go? Jones and his taking the dog from the hiding-place? Jones' treatment of Molly in his room? Her escape? The dog- catcher and Maxie helping her to escape? Life in the circus? Jones' final kidnap? The garbage? The happy ending? Molly as character?
7. The film's focus on Maxie? The opening, her mother's death, packing, her love for her father, the trip to the station, the farewells, the train ride. friendship with Dan. attraction towards Molly? Going to school? Cooking sequences? Her hiding Molly and feeding her? The nuns and her being sent away? Her aunt and the taxi, the house? Her allergy and sneezing? Settling in? Her fear of Jones? Her washing Molly? The sharing the bed? The care for Molly, the circus? Her aunt and the clash? Jones disguised as the nun? The group of friends in the circus? Her being with the circus? Their all joining to catch Molly - and using their circus ability? The happy ending for Maxie and Dan's return?
8. The sketch of the range of children, the children in the circus? Their particular acts? The fire sequence. the finding of Molly?
9. The adults: Maxie's father and his love. the nuns and their severity, her aunt and her love - and her allergy, the landlady and her inquisitiveness with Jones?
10. The attractive people at the circus. their befriending Maxie, helping her, making her part of the circus act?
11. Jones as villain - Garry McDonald's style? Baldness.. initial appearance, overhearing about the dog. following the group to Sydney, menacing at the railway station, his taking the dog from the school. his boarding house accommodation and the suspicion of the landlady. his behaviour, cutting his foot., his limping, following Maxie, disguised as a nun. the kidnapping of the dog and the final chase and his being defeated?
12. The blend of comedy. adventure - from the child's point of view? Songs, dances, circus acts? An enjoyable family entertainment?
