The Sundowners

1960 "Across Six Thousand Miles of Excitement...Across a Whole World of Adventure Comes the Rousing, Story of Real People Called "The Sundowners"!"
7.1| 2h13m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 08 December 1960 Released
Producted By: Warner Bros. Pictures
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
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In the Australian Outback, the Carmody family--Paddy, Ida, and their teenage son Sean--are sheep drovers, always on the move. Ida and Sean want to settle down and buy a farm. Paddy wants to keep moving. A sheep-shearing contest, the birth of a child, drinking, gambling, and a racehorse will all have a part in the final decision.

Genre

Adventure, Drama

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The Sundowners (1960) is currently not available on any services.

Director

Fred Zinnemann

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

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The Sundowners Audience Reviews

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever
Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Derrick Gibbons An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
JohnHowardReid 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.
SnoopyStyle Paddy Carmody (Robert Mitchum), his wife Ida (Deborah Kerr) and son Sean (Michael Anderson Jr.) are drovers in Australia. They are Sundowners, pitching their tents anywhere when the sun goes down. Ida would rather settle down and Sean wants to strike out on his own. They start a job driving sheep to the town of Cawndilla and are joined by Englishman Rupert Venneker (Peter Ustinov). They survive a wild fire. Arriving in Cawndilla, Paddy intends to drive on to Queensland but the rest tries to find jobs to stay. They settle on a sheep station.There are solid actors, Australia, and lots of sheep. Mitchum provides a powerful presence. Kerr adds the heart. The journey does meander from place to place. The outback adventure is compelling. Once they stop moving, the story stays compelling due to the well-drawn characters by the top acting talents. It's a well-made old fashion film.
dbdumonteil In "Heaven knows ,Mister Allison" ,Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr had a tiny island for themselves ;in "the sundowners " they have the whole Australia.Mrs Carmody wants to settle down ,she wants a home ,she wants her boy to go to school.Mr Carmody registers the same desire ,but always something happens.This family and their friend (Peter Ustinov) are very endearing characters and as you follow them in their two hours + journey ,you never get bored a single minute.And however ,it's not an action-packed story ,all that happens could happen in real life and this simple life is depicted with respect for the audience.The documentary side is very interesting.
tom-1514 Whoopie, BBC2 are showing "The Sundowners" .. i've seen this film so many times over the years ( I'm 48 now) .. It's a great matinée film for a Sunday afternoon, either this or FA Cup football..( Salisbury v Nottingham Forest) .. think i'll plump for Sundowners ,this film has such a cozy feel good atmosphere to it. Ustinov ,Mitcham,Kerr, and that little lad all give excellent performances. ..Ahhh memories!! i remember 1st seeing this film when i was about 8, kneeling in front of the black and white telly, Mum in the kitchen making us a Sunday roast, ( I'm having to pad this film description out as IMDb require at least 10 lines before they'll accept it) .. anyhoo, as i was saying, Mum cooking the Sunday roast, the smell of gravy wafting through into the living room, my brother playing with buttons on the floor ( he liked buttons, don't ask!). Anyhoo, hopefully this should be enough for now, bloody good film.