THE STOLEN
New Zealand/Emirates/UK, 2017, 91 minutes, Colour.
Alice Eve, Jack Davenport, Richard O' Brien, Emily Corcoran.
Directed by Niall Johnson.
The Stolen is set on the South Island of New Zealand in the 1880s. The plot and its development a parallel to what can be seen in quite a number of American westerns.
One of the strengths of the film is the beauty of its settings, farm and mansion initially, travelling the countryside, the small towns, going into the rugged mountains, the coast and beach finale.
The stolen of the title is a little baby. The mother is Charlotte, played by Alice Eve who has to move from British gentility to a resourceful survivor. When the baby is abducted and her husband killed, she receives a blackmail letter for hostage money, decides to go on a quest, the difficulties of the rugged countryside, the small towns and her genteel experience, being robbed, going to the remote gold settlement with a group of prostitutes, their looking down on her, her having to join in their performance in the gold town, encountering the mastermind of the new town, Jack Davenport, who had organised the abduction of the baby and was jealous of the success of her husband.
The film becomes more melodramatic as it proceeds, Charlotte propositioned by the mastermind, getting help from the prostitutes, being helped by the Maori guide of the expedition, and a final confrontation of the at the beach and Charlotte drawing on her target practice defeating the mastermind.
Rocky Horror’s Richard O’ Brien appears as the manager of the bar, sly and insinuating, momentarily sympathetic.
Interesting to watch, a picture of 19th century frontier life.
1. A New Zealand story? Like a Western? Frontiers in the 1880s?
2. New Zealand history, Colony, the Maoris, the new owners, the British and their ambitions? Gold, frontier towns, law and order, exploitation?
3. The settings, the South Island, the farm and the mansion, the countryside, travelling through the countryside, the towns, rough, the saloons? The rugged mountains, Goldtown? The beach and the coast? The musical score?
4. Charlotte, her place in New Zealand, from London, her pregnancy, love for her husband, expectations of her settling down? The crops, the maids? Giving birth, her hopes? The shock of the abduction, the masked men, the death of her husband? And with her maid, sacking her?
5. The transition from a genteel lady to a resourceful woman? The letter, the blackmail? The quest, travelling, the bank, going to the town, dressing elegantly, the other women, the information about Goldtown, arrangements for travel, the agreement, the accommodation, being robbed?
6. The drivers? The men, the prostitute passengers, their characters, talk, their work, their personal stories, the treatment? The accident and trying to lift the wagon?
7. The arrival in Goldtown, the bar and saloon, the customers, the man in the bar, the fat client and his wanting Charlotte? Her changing her clothing, surviving in this context? Getting information, the search for her child, the photo, the interrogations?
8. Charlotte and guns, awkward, the target practice and her ultimate skill?
9. The boss of the town, coming from England, his story, jealousy of her husband, his treatment of her, her reaction? His motivations, building and empire?
10. The information about the baby, seeing it, getting help, the women helping, the attacks?
11. Charlotte, getting away, the married guide and his help? The rugged journey with the baby?
12. The beach sequence, the death of the Marie, the confrontation, the guns, her past and shooting practice, her killing the landowner?
13. Her future? The baby? New Zealand origins?
14. A portrait of frontiers and frontier towns, 19th century?
