HERE COME “THE SUNDOWNERS”! They’re real people, fun people, fervent people. They have a tremendous urge to keep breathing. Their rousing story comes roaring across six thousand miles of excitement…
Friends Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr made two films together, Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison and 1960’s The Sundowners. Together in the latter film they provide some of the best acting of their careers, with Kerr remarking well afterwards that she should have gotten an Academy Award for her performance. She was likely right.
Mitchum as well throws in one of his strongest performances, showing what he could do when presented with good material. His accent fades in and out with alarming irregularity, but that’s of no concern.
All this in a film which wouldn’t be considered for release today. Nothing really happens and most of today’s audience will surely find the proceedings quite dull and unengaging. With the exceptions of relatively subdued action sequences involving a horse race, a fistfight and a sheep shearing contest (yes, you read that right) there is no action to speak of. And this in a film running roughly two hours.
For with some patience and a more discerning eye they’ll see the true drama of the picture, for drama there is. The true motivation behind The Sundowners is the subtle but persistent conflict between Ida (Kerr) and her husband Paddy (Mitchum). They, along with their son and friend Rupert (Peter Ustinov in a clutch role.), are “sundowners,” though that name in itself is a bit inaccurate. The group would more accurately be termed migrant workers, moving from place to place taking up odd jobs such as sheep shearing to make ends meet. A true sundowner would arrive just before sundown- in time to grab a free meal but too late to do any meaningful work- before leaving early in the morning before the work day started.
While Paddy loves the transient nature of their lives and the freedom to roam the Australian outback. Ida somewhat stereotypically by today’s standard wants to settle down and have an actual home. They both masterfully butt heads throughout the picture, trying to get their own personal slice of happiness without eating that of their partner as well. Kudos have to go out to Ms. Kerr for although she plays a slightly lesser role than Mitchum she manages to dominate the picture with ease.
Peter Ustinov joins the family fairly early on as a bit of a lost soul and after a bit he almost becomes part of the family. He’s the comic relief with constant quick quips, most of which hold some kernel of wisdom. Along with his on and off again courting of hotelier Mrs. Firth (Glynis Johns) he provides a good balance against the relative seriousness of the leads.
Another key feature which makes The Sundowners unique is the stylings of director Fred Zinnemann. With much of the film shot on location in Australia, the picture is full of wonderful cinematography and lingering shots on many inconsequential things such as the local wildlife. He applies the same technique to the cast, especially the leads, and in so doing giving you the sense that the family is just another piece of the local environment.
As good as The Sundowners is, it likely won’t be a movie that you’ll watch repeatedly simply because the same things which make it unique also lessen its rewatchability. As good as it is to see a film built around subtle conflicts and filled with great characters and dialogue, one does need a bit more action to get it into one’s top ten.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD5N4oWbQM4[/embedyt]