Ruthless, but smooth and handsome young bank robber John Lawler (a fine and credible portrayal by Sam Elliott) convinces lonely and unhappy middle-aged Molly (an excellent and sympathetic performance by Vera Miles) to bust him out of jail. The couple go on the lam. A posse chases after them. Director Gary Nelson, working from a thoughtful and surprising script by Tom Kingsley-Smith, relates the absorbing story at a deliberate, yet steady pace, delivers a believable evocation of the 18th century setting, and brings a welcome and refreshing humane and compassionate sensitivity to the premise (you can't help but feel sorry for the hapless Molly and her dismal plight). Miles and Elliott both do stand-out work in the lead roles: Elliott brings a certain rough charm to John while Miles beautifully projects a touching vulnerability as Molly. There's also able supporting turns from John Anderson as Molly's cold and mean sheriff husband Marvin Parker and Clu Gulager as ornery deputy Tom Clements. The delectable Cynthia Myers of "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" fame has a small, but still memorably sexy part as luscious prostitute Dolly Winward. Moreover, this movie doesn't adhere to any obvious formula mentality and avoids becoming the standard romantic yarn one would expect from the plot: John proves to be a real nasty and deceitful bastard while Marvin turns out to not be such a bad guy in the long run. Charles F. Wheeler's polished cinematography gives the picture an appropriately dusty look. The tuneful'n'twangy score by Johnny Mandel and Marilyn Bergman likewise does the melodic trick. The ending is genuinely startling. Offbeat and interesting, this neat and moving little sleeper is well worth a look.
Review of Molly and Lawless John
