The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Leah Purcell is Molly Johnson, a woman living on the Australian frontier and hellbent on protecting her four children while her husband is off on the drove.

She’s also about to give birth to another child. She sends three of her children off to the nearby town of Everton until she delivers. Her oldest, 12-year-old Danny, is sent to fetch supplies.

While they’re gone, a Ngarigo man Yadaka (Rob Collins) shows up, wearing chains. Molly doesn’t know it, but he’s wanted for the murder.

When Molly goes into labor, Yadaka tries to help. When she loses the child, Yadaka buries the baby girl, does odd chores around the homestead and befriends Danny.

Back in town, new Sgt. Nate Klintoff (Sam Ried) is tasked with finding the man who murdered the wife and children of a leading citizen.

He’s also concerned about Molly, a woman he and his wife befriended on their way into town. The murders occurred near where she lives.

His concern grows when a horse belonging to Molly’s husband shows up in town, minus its owner.

And doubly so when he discovers Molly’s husband missed the drove for the first time in eight years.

Leah Purcell as Molly Johnson, enjoying a quiet moment in the hills, gun near her side, before going into childbirth in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Rob Collins as Yadaka, the wanted man who helps Molly Johnson during her pregnancy and after in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Review:

A well done directorial debut from star Leah Purcell, who received a best actress award for her performance at the 2022 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.

The film tackles the topics of domestic abuse and racism while weaving a story with enough twists and turns that is seems fresher than most 21st century Westerns.

Turns out, Purcell’s Molly Johnson and her children have been abused by a lout of a husband for years. And she has a sympathetic friend in the sergeant’s wife; her sister died at the hands of an abusive husband.

Meanwhile, Yadaka informs Molly that her mother, who died in childbirth, was black. It’s news Molly isn’t eager to hear.

It’s also news that spurs an effort back in Everton to take Molly’s children away from her. And she’s determined to make sure that does not happen.

Sam Reid as Sgt. Nate Klintoff, finding himself with multiple murders to solve no sooner than he assumes his new post in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Jessica De Bouw as Louisa Klintoff, beginning to sense what happened to Molly Johnson’s husband in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Directed by:
Leah Purcell

Cast:
Leah Purcell … Molly Johnson
Malachi Dower-Roberts … Danny Johnson
Sam Reid … Sgt. Nate Klintoff
Jessica De Bouw …. Louisa Klintoff
Rob Collins …Yadaka
Amahlia Olsson … Delphi Johnson
Jobe Zammit-Harvey … Henry James Johnson
Nash Zammit-Harvey … Joe Junior Johnson
Phil Gray … Unknown stockman
Harry Greenwood … John McPharlen
Anthony Cogin … Robert Parsons
Bruce Spence … Father McGuiness
Maggie Dence … Mrs. Shirley McGuiness
Nicholas Hpe … Judge Eisenmangher
Sean Lynch … Jonathan Edwards
Benedict Hardie … Trooper Leslie

aka:
The Drover’s Wife
The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson

Runtime: 109 min.

Malachi Dower-Roberts as Danny Johnson, heading off to town for supplies and saying goodbye to his mom in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Molly’s younger children, played by Amahlia Olsson, Jobe Zammit-Harvey and Nash Zammit-Harvey, when a wild bull shows up in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Memorable lines:

Molly Johnson: “And your crime?”
Yadaka: “My crime, missus? Existing whilst black.”

Yadaka: “Yes, boss.”
Molly Johnson, referring to her husband: “He’s the boss. I’m just a drover’s wife. I’ll shoot you where you stand. And I’ll bury you where you fall.”
Yadaka: “Yes, missus.”

Judge Eisenmangher to Sgt. Klintoff : “Welcome to Everton. If you make it to Sunday, I’ll officially swear you in.”

Harry Greenwood as John McPharlen and Anthony Cogin as Robert Parsons, friends of Molly Johnson’s husband in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Benedict Hardie as Trooper Leslie, Sgt. Klintoff less-than-able assistant, watching his boss interact with Everton’s finest in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Yakada to Danny, Molly oldest son: “It’s not what you wear on your feet, Danny. It’s how you carry yourself that makes a decent man.”

Yakada: “Black Mary’s your mother … no shame in that.”
Molly Johnson: “You take your filthy talking mouth, and you get the fuck off my land.”

Sgt. Klintoff to his wife Louisa: “This land needs law, not a moral compass.”

Nicholas Hope as Judge Eisenmangher, agreeing it might be best if Molly Johnson’s children were under the care of someone else in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Bruce Spence as Father McGuiness, explaining the urgency of solving the murder of a leading citizen’s wife and children in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Maggie Dense as Shirley McGuiness, the pastor’s wife, urging the new sergeant to clean up the debauchery in Everton in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)

Leah Purcell as Molly Johnson, overcome with emotion after shooting a wild bull who threatens her children in The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)