MOLOKAI

Belgium, 1999, 120 minutes. Colour.
David Wenham, Peter O'Toole, Leo Mc Kern, Derek Jacobi, Sam Neill, Kate Cerebrano, Kris Kristoffersen, Alice Krige, Tom Wilkinson, Chris Hayward, Aden Young.
Directed by Paul Cox.

Molokai, the Father Damien Story, was written by John Briley (Gandhi, Cry Freedom) and directed by Dutch-born Australian, Paul Cox (Man of Flowers, Vincent, Exile, Innocence, Nijinsky). Molokai itself and Honolulu provide spectacular backdrops to the action.

The movie boasts a large international and Australian cast. Sydney actor, David Wenham, is a down-to-earth, sometimes cantankerous saint.

The Belgian-financed movie experienced great trouble in production. The initial version released in Belgium was cut against Cox's wishes and an alternate musical score added. However, the investors were willing to finance Paul Cox in re-cutting the movie as he wished, re-inserting eliminated sequences (including the character of the second bishop of Honolulu). The original score was restored. This is the version that was finally released.

The result is a moving story of a saint (beatified in 1996 by John Paul II) with a world-wide reputation in his time for his charity and his social concern for lepers. It is also a serious social justice movie about leprosy in the 19th century and its gradual elimination. (Catholics of previous generations were brought up on the biography by film director, John Farrow, 'Damien the Leper'. An American telemovie, Damien: the Leper Priest, featuring Ken Howard as Damien, a role intended for David Janssen who died during pre-production, was released in the 1980.)

1. A Belgian production, Damien as being a Belgian saint? The impact for Belgium, for Hawaii? The long universal popularity of Damien and his being so well known?

2. Damien’s reputation, a 19th century missionary, on Molokai, his life in Hawaii, his care for the lepers, living with them, his care for them, religious care, social concern for Hawaii at the end of the 19th century? The nature of his holiness and sanctity?

3. The use of authentic Hawaiian locations, the wide screen, the musical score? The choral effects? A re-creation of the period and the sense of what life was like on Molokai in the 1880s?

4. The work of Paul Cox, his usual small-scale sensibilities? Working from a script by John Briley (Gandhi, Cry Freedom)?

5. David Wenham leading an international cast, the contribution of the Australian cast, the international stars? Giving the film a prestige quality?

6. The structure of the film: the introduction to Damien, the background of his life, work, in Honolulu, the appeal for missionaries for Molokai, his motivation for going, explanations or not? His life and work on Molokai until his death?

7. The context for the spread of leprosy in the 19th century? The introduction of the disease to the Hawaiian Islands by white settlers? The government attitude towards the illness, segregating those who were sick? The role of the church, missionaries and chaplains? The media and its taking up the cause of Father Damien and spreading the news of his work (like an early-day Mother Teresa)? The settling of the lepers on Molokai, authorities being care-less? Public ignorance about the disease, the actual disease, its effect, not killing people, destroying appearances, limbs? Leading to pneumonia? The marginalised, their squalor? The lack of medical help? Researchers coming to investigate? A frontier for medicine? A frontier for spiritual care? Public opinion, the changes – and the aftermath and the elimination of the dangers of leprosy?

8. David Wenham as Damien, his appearance, age, accent, work in Honolulu, the missionaries and the explanation given? The provincial asking for volunteers, Damien going? His meeting the lepers, being advised not to touch them, hiding them? His single-mindedness? His prayer, the conditions, his not following the injunctions, living completely with the lepers, eating with them? His knowing the consequences?

9. His arrival, the voyage, the reactions of the people? The welcome by William Williamson, the long discussions with Williamson, with the little girl, the boy whom he called the little bishop? The church, cleaning it up, rebuilding? The choir? The drinking, the prostitution, his sleeping outside? The building, clearing the area, his serving the people, touching them, eating (with?) them? Molokai itself, his adapting to the place, the natural beauty?

10. The letter to his brother, his surprise at his becoming a media celebrity and a hero? The governor and his reaction? The bishop and his wanting volunteers? The provincial and his reaction, prissy behaviour, his discussions about money and saying it was needed in Honolulu instead of Molokai? The issues of religious obedience? The issues of whether nuns should be sent to Molokai or not or remain in Honolulu? The growing support for Damien around the world?

11. The passing of the years and the effect on him, his being alone? The princess and the sexual charms, the women at the beach, the attempted seduction? His commitment to his vows? The bishop coming, his going to confession, his confession of his own behaviour, in French? His celebration of the masses? The doctors coming to the island, their friendship, the research, but not staying? His talking to them, to the experts, getting the books? In the illness, his visit to Honolulu, the new bishop? Mother Marianne and the coming of the nuns?

12. The research doctors, their visits, discussions, research, the experiments? Illness and deaths? Their not staying? The later return to see the consequences of the research?

13. The portrait of the two bishops, the first bishop and his concern about Molokai, his friendship with Damien, his being prepared to sail to Molokai and to disembark, his being forbidden, having to hear the confession from the boat and in French? The second bishop, his support of the mission?

14. The provincial, his prissy manner, his control, manipulating people, his attitude towards Damien, leaving him on Molokai, Damien’s return visit and his reaction, his disapproval of the letter to his brother, the issue of money and the nuns?

15. Clayton Strachan and his background, rough, going blind, living with the woman, drinking, his antagonism towards Damien, Damien’s initial harshness, beginning to understand, performing the wedding ceremony?

16. Rudolf Meyer, ranch owner, his welcome to Damien, the meals at his ranch, the supplies? His friends? His having to live separately? His support of Damien?

17. The Princess of Hawaii, her status, her visit to the island, garnering information for the public, public support? Her song?

18. The women on the island, their being pleasant, suffering from the illness, the old women, the sexual encounters, the type of life they had to live? The comparisons with the men, the drinking? The children, their growing up, the little bishop and his support of Damien?

19. The storm at sea, the captain and his harshness, the lepers being thrown overboard, Damien and the population saving them?

20. Mother Marianne, the response to the appeal from Molokai, her sisters coming to Honolulu, the provincial forbidding them to go, their finally arriving? Mother Marianne, her work, her apology to Father Damien?

21. Brother Dutton, his military background, the Civil War, his approach to Damien, coming to help? His assistance to Damien, his working hard, his long life on Molokai and his being buried there?

22. Damien’s final illness, the nature of his holiness in living those years on Molokai, serving the people fearlessly, becoming one of them, his severe European attitudes at the beginning, his mellowing, his growing compassion? His death? The funeral?

23. The achievement of Damien, in the light of the opening up of the Pacific in the 19th century, in the work of Catholic missionaries in that century? Role model and saint?