Sunrise (1927) Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (original title)

Director:

F.W. Murnau

Writers:

Hermann Sudermann (original theme "Die Reise nach Tilsit")
Carl Mayer (scenario)
(more)

Release Date:

4 November 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.

Plot Keywords:

City | Farmer | Love | Murder | Fireworks

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

George O'Brien	...	The Man
Janet Gaynor	...	The Wife
Margaret Livingston	...	The Woman From the City
Bodil Rosing	...	The Maid
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	The Photographer (as J. Farrell McDonald)
Ralph Sipperly	...	The Barber
Jane Winton	...	The Manicure Girl
Arthur Housman	...	The Obtrusive Gentleman
Eddie Boland	...	The Obliging Gentleman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Herman Bing	...	Streetcar Conductor (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey	...	Dance Hall Manager (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Manager of Hair Salon (uncredited)
Sally Eilers	...	Woman in Dance Hall (uncredited)
Gibson Gowland	...	Angry Driver (uncredited)
Fletcher Henderson	...	Performer - Song: 'Tozo' (uncredited)
Thomas Jefferson	...	Old Seaman (uncredited)
Bob Kortman	...	Villager (uncredited)
F.W. Murnau	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Ballroom Dancer / Kissing Couple (uncredited)
Robert Parrish	...	Boy (uncredited)
Sally Phipps	...	Ballroom Dancer / Kissing Couple (uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	Carnival Gallery Man with Pig (uncredited)
Phillips Smalley	...	Head Waiter (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Barber (uncredited)
Clarence Wilson	...	Money Lender (uncredited)

Directed by
F.W. Murnau

Writing credits
Hermann Sudermann		(original theme "Die Reise nach Tilsit")
Carl Mayer		(scenario)
Katherine Hilliker		(titles by) and
H.H. Caldwell		(titles by)

Produced by
William Fox	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Willy Schmidt-Gentner
R.H. Bassett		(Los Angeles premiere) (uncredited)
Carli Elinor		(Los Angeles premiere) (uncredited)
Erno Rapee		(New York premiere) (uncredited)
Hugo Riesenfeld		(1928) (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Charles Rosher		(photography)
Karl Struss		(photography)

Film Editing by
Harold D. Schuster		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Rochus Gliese		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Charlie Dudley	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herman Bing	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Don B. Greenwood	....	property master (uncredited)
Alfred Metscher	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Edgar G. Ulmer	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Gordon Wiles	....	art department head (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Frank Williams	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Hal Carney	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Frank Powolny	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Stuart Thompson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice Baron	....	orchestrator: Erno Rapee score (uncredited)

Other crew
William Fox	....	presents

Production Companies

• Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Fox Film Corporation (1927) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (1982) (Spain) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• BIM Distribuzione (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Deutsche Vereins-Film AG (Defa-Deutsche Fox) (1927) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox Film (1927) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• NFM Distributie (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Critics' Choice Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Eureka Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Eureka Video (2005) (UK) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" - USA (original title)

Runtime:

94 min | Germany:106 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Movietone) (musical score and sound effects) | Silent (alternate version)

Certification:

South Korea:15 (2004) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Germany:6 | Portugal:17 (director's cut) | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:U (video re-rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The original negatives of the film were destroyed in a fire in 1937.

Goofs:

Continuity: The number of bottles left on the table after the piglet bumps it changes between shots. There are five bottles when the piglet bumps it, but when the Man comes in and grabs the piglet there are seven bottles on it.

Quotes:

[opening title cards]
Title Card:This song of the Man and his Wife is of no place and every place; you might hear it anywhere, at any time.
Title Card:For wherever the sun rises and sets, in the city's turmoil or under the open sky on the farm, life is much the same; sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

A story of two humans.

SUNRISE is easily the greatest film made in the silent era. Murnau's story (or filmed poem, according to the credits) is about a troubled farmer (George O'Brien) and his secret girlfriend (Margaret Livingston) plotting to murder his wife (Janet Gaynor, possibly the sweetest, most likable adult character in film history!) The storyline, the dark, moody photography, the creepy sets (especially that swamp!) makes you think this will be a thriller with an unhappy ending, much like AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY. About half-way through the film, Murnau pulls such a daring 180 degree turn with his film, you'll shake your head, and will love it. I doubt film-makers today would try for such a daring move!

It is shame that Murnau died middle aged in 1931. Had he of lived another 30 years, and made films up until the age of Cinemascope, looser censorship, 60's technology, what great films we would have.