A Fred Zinnemann Production for Warner Bros Pictures, Ltd. Filmed at Associated British Studios, Elstree, England. Exteriors photographed in Australia. Copyright 1960 by Warner Bros Pictures. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 8 December 1960 (ran 6 weeks). U.S. release: December 1960. U.K. release through Associated British-Pathé: 26 February 1961. Australian release: 30 November 1961. Sydney opening at the Regent. Running times: 141 minutes (New York), 138 minutes (Australia), 133 minutes (U.S.A.), 124 minutes (U.K.).
SYNOPSIS: The Carmodys are a family of Australian "sundowners," itinerants who settle for the night wherever they happen to be when the sun goes down.
Deborah Kerr, Best Actress of 1960 for her performance in The Sundowners. — The New York Film Critics. Robert Mitchum, Best Actor of 1960 for his performances in Home from the Hill and The Sundowners. — The National Board of Review. Third Best Film of 1960. — The National Board of Review. Fourth Best Film of 1960. — The New York Daily News. One of the Ten Best Films of 1960 (no order of preference given). — The New York World Telegram; The Saturday Review; The New York Post; The New York Journal American. Seventh Best Film of 1960. — The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Ninth Best Film of 1960. — The New York Herald Tribune. Sixth Best Film of 1960. — The New York Daily Mirror. Oddly, despite all this critical acclaim, The Sundowners did not make the top list of domestic box-office successes. It did, however, score in the Top Ten at the British Box-Office. In Australia, it came in as number three. Only Spartacus and El Cid, both road shows, took more money, so it's a London-to-a-brick bet that The Sundowners sold more tickets and was in fact Australia's most popular movie release of 1961. (Available on an excellent DVD from Warner).
I must admit that the movie on DVD in 2017 stood up better than when I saw it on first release back in 1961. Now, while keeping your thumb firmly pressed on the fast-forward button during the dull domestic exchanges between Kerr and Mitchum, you can really enjoy the well- realized and excitingly staged scenes such as the bush-fire, the horse races, and the shearing contest. Technically, the movie looks good on DVD (especially in its hard matte format). Hildyard's photography is brightly colorful, while Tiomkin's lively, breezy music score rates as another major asset. And director Zinnemann does make full use of some really lavish production values in period sets and picturesque locations, while keeping the tale moving along at a fast enough clip, so that its long running time passes by with both remarkable celerity and a fair amount of delight.
SYNOPSIS: The Carmodys are a family of Australian "sundowners," itinerants who settle for the night wherever they happen to be when the sun goes down.
Deborah Kerr, Best Actress of 1960 for her performance in The Sundowners. — The New York Film Critics. Robert Mitchum, Best Actor of 1960 for his performances in Home from the Hill and The Sundowners. — The National Board of Review. Third Best Film of 1960. — The National Board of Review. Fourth Best Film of 1960. — The New York Daily News. One of the Ten Best Films of 1960 (no order of preference given). — The New York World Telegram; The Saturday Review; The New York Post; The New York Journal American. Seventh Best Film of 1960. — The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Ninth Best Film of 1960. — The New York Herald Tribune. Sixth Best Film of 1960. — The New York Daily Mirror. Oddly, despite all this critical acclaim, The Sundowners did not make the top list of domestic box-office successes. It did, however, score in the Top Ten at the British Box-Office. In Australia, it came in as number three. Only Spartacus and El Cid, both road shows, took more money, so it's a London-to-a-brick bet that The Sundowners sold more tickets and was in fact Australia's most popular movie release of 1961. (Available on an excellent DVD from Warner).
I must admit that the movie on DVD in 2017 stood up better than when I saw it on first release back in 1961. Now, while keeping your thumb firmly pressed on the fast-forward button during the dull domestic exchanges between Kerr and Mitchum, you can really enjoy the well- realized and excitingly staged scenes such as the bush-fire, the horse races, and the shearing contest. Technically, the movie looks good on DVD (especially in its hard matte format). Hildyard's photography is brightly colorful, while Tiomkin's lively, breezy music score rates as another major asset. And director Zinnemann does make full use of some really lavish production values in period sets and picturesque locations, while keeping the tale moving along at a fast enough clip, so that its long running time passes by with both remarkable celerity and a fair amount of delight.