The Sundowners

source: The Sundowners

I was a bit disturbed to see a rather vitriolic, negative review of this film. The Sundowners has its faults, and is probably not in "must see" category, but it entertains, pleases and amuses. Its genre should probably be called "adventure lite"...the drama keeps you engaged, but doesn't get the adrenaline going. The acting is solid (in particular, Ustinov really "completes" the cast nicely), the cinematography is excellent and all in all, it's a good film for a rainy night. I'd agree with the poster who pointed out that you probably won't want to watch it over and over again, but to me, this isn't necessarily a knock on it; after all, think how tedious it would be if all films were as arcane as, say, "Pulp Fiction." A solid 7 out of 10.

A superb performance by Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Peter Ustinov, and Glynis Johns. Why has it not been released as a DVD? The son's relation to his parents is good and well presented. Deborah Kerr's great desire for a home, and Robert Mitchum's resistance are realistically presented. Peter Ustinov is torn between devotion to the Carmodys and his desire to wander. The devotion seems to win. Glynis Johns is superb -- she is as good in this as in Mary Poppins. Altogether, a splendid movie.

Director Fred Zinnemann helmed this wonderful screen-adaptation of Jon Cleary's book about an Australian sheepherder at odds with his headstrong wife: he wants to keep moving, traveling from place to place without putting down roots, while she would prefer settling in one spot to give their teenage son a chance to make friends. Richly-textured comedy-drama comes together splendidly after an awkward beginning. Well-matched Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr (reunited from 1957's "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison") are terrific in the leads, Peter Ustinov equally fine as a bachelor they befriend along the way. A lengthy film, but never a boring one, with beautiful cinematography from Jack Hildyard, memorable characters and set-pieces. Five Oscar nominations, including Glynis Johns for Supporting Actress, but no wins. ***1/2 from ****

A couple and their teen-aged son roam the Australian outback in the 1920s. Kerr and Mitchum, in the second of the three times the pair teamed up over a four-year period, work well together and provide the star power. Ustinov can deliver droll lines with the best of them. Add in location cinematography under the direction of veteran Zinnemann and everything is there for a sure-fire winner. A key ingredient missing, however, is a compelling story. It's all very pleasant watching the stars interact with the locals, including Johns, Merrill, koala bears, kangaroos, and sheep (lots of sheep), but there is little in the way of plot to sustain interest, especially at a running time exceeding two hours.

I saw this movie twice, but would never hurry to see it again. While Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Peter Ustinov, and Michael Anderson, Jr. were rather convincing in their roles, the movie was was insipid. Again, Robert Mitchum did well as Paddy...the sheep drover who wanted to never settle down...and Deborah Kerr seemed to click with him as she portrayed Ida, the wife who, though she loved him, was at a conflict with him, since she did not want to keep on going across Australia. But, there was really no story, basically. They stopped, slept, started again the next day, and that was it. While the movie was wholesome, again, it was just there, and nothing would motivate me to sit through it another time.

We don't really talk like that in Australia so the over the top accents are actually amusing! A good movie despite this however! The Sundowners is a 1960 film that tells the story of an Australian outback family torn between the father's desires to continue his nomadic sheep-herding ways and the wife's and son's desire to settle down in one place. It stars Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Peter Ustinov, Glynis Johns, Dina Merrill, Michael Anderson, Jr. and Chips Rafferty. The movie was adapted by Isobel Lennart from the novel by Jon Cleary. It was directed by Fred Zinnemann. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Deborah Kerr), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Glynis Johns), Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. The movie was filmed mainly on location in New South Wales, including towns like Nimmitabel.

My wife and I were hard pressed to come up with a compelling reason for this film's existence while watching it. It sure is....um....pleasant enough I guess, but about an hour and a half in we were still waiting for a dramatic conflict to emerge. The movie hints here and there at one -- drover Robert Mitchum is a wanderer, never content to stay any one place for long; wife Deborah Kerr wants a home to settle down in. But the marital strife this separation of minds creates is never treated as more than a minor hiccup in these people's lives, and in any case it's buried underneath the rest of the very long movie, during which not much happens. Deborah Kerr is lovely as always; Robert Mitchum is well cast even if he misses his Irish accent by a mile; Peter Ustinov is on hand to deliver droll one-liners; and Glynis Johns enlivens things every once in a while as a blowsy hotel proprietress. But I can't imagine what people saw in this to get it nominated for five Academy Awards, including one for Best Picture, back in 1960. Grade: B-

Anyone who enjoys the tales of the pioneers' trials to carve a nation out of the wilderness will enjoy the The Sundowners. The cast as would be expected is superb. It's a treat to see quintessential American tough-guy-with-a-soft-spot Robert Mitchum, one of my all-time favorite actors, pull of an Aussie accent. Deborah Kerr as the long-suffering but loyal wife and devoted mother is also worthy of high praise. Peter Ustinov and his English accent provide great comic relief. All in all, very good entertainment and insight into a lifestyle not familiar to the general American public, 7/10.

This was a unique western in that (1) there are no villains; (2) no gunfighters and gunfight and (3) only one man is shot in the whole film. Most of it is a simple story of "Sundowners:" a group of migrant-type workers who go from job to job - in this case as "sheep drovers." These workers never have a permanent place to call home. In this particular story, the wife (Deborah Kerr) and their teenage boy (Michael Anderson Jr.) want a home while the husband (Robert Mitchum) doesn't want to settle down in one place. It may have American actors but the scene is Australia. I found a number of the accents hard to decipher. Peter Ustinov, Glynis Johns and Dina Merrill all add to this impressive cast, which provides a lesson in solid acting. Ustinov's character adds humor to the film, and the scenery is nice to ogle. You'd think with all these positive points I would rate this film higher, but something was missing, perhaps a little excitement. This is too low-key. The ending was kind of strange: not a a happy one but not unhappy either. Yeah, it's a nice family story but not one I would go out of my way to watch again.