Young Maxie Ireland (Claudia Karvan) has been sent by her father to live with her Aunt Jenny (Melissa Jaffer) in Sydney. At the train station, Old Dan (Reg Lye) has a heart attack. Unable to care for his dog Molly, he entrusts her to Maxie, planning to return for her when he recovers. Molly has a special talent: howling along to music like she's singing. Jones (Garry McDonald), a short-order cook and former clown, hears Molly singing and thinks he could get rich off her talent, and tries to kidnap her.
Molly contains examples of:
- Agony of the Feet: Jones accidentally knocks a razor off the sink and then steps on it, leaving a bleeding cut. He tries to stanch it with a towel, but almost immediately bleeds through it.
- As Himself: Molly is credited this way.
- Bad Habits: Jones dresses as a nun and looks for Maxie, saying, "Sister Carmel sent me to see how you're getting on."
- Bald of Evil:Jones is bald.
- Because I Said So: This is Aunt Jenny's first explanation for why Maxie can't turn on the TV, although she then explains that she'd rather spend quality time with Maxie by doing a puzzle together.
- Closet Punishment: After Molly refuses to howl for him at an audition, Jones locks her in a closet in his apartment.
- Go to Your Room!: Jenny orders Maxie to her room for disappearing all day and causing Jenny to cause the police. Instead, Maxie shouts, "I hate you!" and runs off to continue looking for Molly.
- Hand Gagging: Jones sneaks up behind Maxie, claps his hand over her mouth, and demands, "Where is she?"
- No Animals Allowed: Aunt Jenny initially sends Maxie to a Catholic boarding school, where she hides Molly in the mechanical room and smuggles meat to her. Shortly after she arrives, though, Jones kidnaps Molly, and then Sister Carmel (Kerry Dwyer), who thinks Maxie's behavioral problems are because of the changes in her life, sends her back to live with Aunt Jenny.
- Plot Allergy: Aunt Jenny is allergic to dogs, so Maxie has Molly spend the night at the barber shop.
- Standard Snippet: The circus band plays "The Blue Danube" while Molly sings along.
- Stuffed into a Trashcan: Jones finally gets fed up with Molly and shoves the bag with her in it into a trash can. A worker empties the trash can into the garbage truck. Maxie manages to grab the bag from the truck at the last second.
