The Sundowners

[mrsl]

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This is just a note to anyone who has not seen this fun and informative movie. It stars Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr, the great duo from Heaven Knows Mr. Allison. This time they live in Australia, are married and have one teen aged son. Paddy (Mitchum) is a rover and won't settle down although his wife and son both dream of having a house and living in one place only. In their travels, they meet Peter Ustinov and later Glynnis Johns who owns a hotel/saloon. During the season, Paddy is a pretty good shearer and gets himself involved in a shearing contest. The whole movie revolves around Ida and her son trying to make Paddy settle down but there are a lot of laughs along the way. Deborah does well being English, but Mitchum with his gift for vocal nuances carries the film through and although at times you want to kick him, most of the time he's just a lovable good time Charlie. It's on Wednesday night and worth setting the DVR for if you've never seen it. It's in beautiful color, and the Australian greenery is surprising to see. I never realized how green Australia was. I thought it was all dust and sand.

Try it, you may like it. I'd like to hear some comments about it, with discussion of your opinions.
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[moira finnie]

What a terrific way you have of explaining much of this film's enduring appeal. I particularly enjoyed the byplay between Kerr and Mitchum too.

One scene that seemed to stand out for me this time was a silent one. Arriving at the station where they will drop off their sheep, Ida (Deborah Kerr) was waiting alone in the cart, facing a train that is paused in the station for a moment. Kerr is a bit grimy and she certainly looks like a woman who would love a hot bath. Seeing a fashionable woman in a window of the train, Kerr drinks in her modish style; a cloche hat, a fashionable bob and a made up face that she continues to powder, oblivious to the intently staring Ida. Kerr's face moves from curiosity to dismay and shame in a natural way. No words are spoken, but the longer Ida peers at her the less human, womanly, and appealing she feels herself to be. Finally, the self-absorbed passenger seems to feel Ida's eyes upon her, and looks a bit alarmed to see what she no doubt assumes is a sample of an Outback Aussie female at her worst. Mitchum asks her what is wrong the minute he comes back to the cart, but Kerr, feeling foolish and self-indulgent, scoffs and says tearfully that it's nothing, even as he reaches over to her to comfort her, probably wondering what he did wrong.

By the way, Kerr's glowing, rosy beauty in this film is extraordinary. I don't think she ever looked as lovely in any other American-made film--especially not in those innumerable roles when MGM insisted on making her into some duchess who looked as though she slept in her tiara.

Both she and Mitchum brought out the best in each other whenever they worked together. And having Zinnemann as director and Jack Hildyard as cinematographer certainly didn't hurt either.

I read somewhere that Michael Anderson, Jr. is writing a memoir. I hope he writes about the experience of making this movie.

[mrsl]

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I just posted that I love the chemistry between Greer Garson and Walter Pigeon but secondly is the Mitchum/Kerr duo. The boundaries of the story must contain much of their chemistry in Heaven Knows Mr. Allison, but it comes out loud and clear in The Sundowners. Oddly, in The Grass is Greener, even though she is happily married to Cary Grant with no thought whatsoever of being unfaithful, when Mitchum appears as the lonely, rich American businessman and they strike up an acquaintance, you can't help feeling like she let something slip between her fingers when he leaves, just as the look on her face shows.

I'm glad a few people liked The Sundowners. It's been a favorite of mine for a long time and when I like certain movies, I want others to find the same joy that I do. Thank you for your comments.
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[movieman1957]

Having just finished I think the best part of the film is the chemistry between Mitchum and Kerr. Ustinov is wonderful in as always. Moira, I think the fact that Kerr was done up so plainly made her quite beautiful. I love the shot where she sees the lady on the train doing her makeup and she starts to cry missing something she would have enjoyed. She can ride a horse too.

The story was okay and in lesser hands it might not have turned out so well. There were times I wondered why she would stay. Love is supreme.

[JackFavell]

Lovely writing about this film, guys! You make me appreciate it more. I especially like what you said kingrat about it being Zinnemann's John Ford film. That feels right, though I never thought about it before.

[MissGoddess]

That was a lovely read, Kingrat. I felt the same about the scene where Ida told her son just how it was with her and Paddy. It was a great example of human honesty, the kind of moment that is all too rare between people on screen or off. I suppose it's one of the wonders of art to provide us with those moments.

I've often thought Ford would have admired The Sundowners if he saw it.

I remember reading Mitchum absolutely loathed Australia and the whole ordeal of filming there. I was surprised, I would have thought their rather free, down to earth ways would have appealed to him but he was a contrary man.

[movieman1957]

I didn't love it. I do see where it could be Ford-like. In fact Mitchum sings the same saloon song from "The Quiet Man."

I thought there could have been more made of Kerr's desire for a home but changes the whole tone of the movie. Frankly, I'm surprised that even in 20th century Australia someone could be that agreeable to living in a wagon. But that isn't the point of the story.

A good family film with some quirky people thrown in for good measure with a twist in the setting. I thought it a bit long though.

[MissGoddess]

I think the tug of war between a settled but perhaps stifling existence and a nomadic but insecure one makes for great story telling possibilities. A lot of couples have totally different lifestyle preferences and it can tear them apart if both don't learn to compromise. That Paddy and Ida work hard at making their marriage stick and love each other so much makes The Sundowners a film that features one of the best married couples ever. Yes, it's long, but oddly I only think of its length afterward, not while I'm watching---it always pulls me in and I've seen it at least five or six times now.

I'm trying to think of another film it reminds me of...there was one that we talked about at the TCM forum but I've completely blanked it out.

Kingrat,
Have you noticed that The Sundowner's fundamental issue of compromise between husband and wife (Paddy and Ida) is kind of similar to that between Kane (Gary Cooper) and Amy (Grace Kelly) in High Noon? Only they are newlyweds in the latter movie and a more dramatic device forces them to confront their differences immediately.

[mongoII]

A wonderful movie indeed. Always look forward to seeing it play on TCM. One thing for sure, Deborah Kerr should have won her Oscar for her performance, it was her turn to finally win it. Instead the Academy gives it to an ill Elizabeth Taylor for "BUtterfield 8"?
Years later Kerr received a special Oscar when she was ill and could hardly hold the award. Go figure.