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Sunrise

Original title: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
  • 19271927
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
51K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, and George O'Brien in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
  • Drama
  • Romance
A sophisticated urban woman seduces a farmer in the hopes that he will murder his neglected wife and join her in the city, but he soon finds himself rekindling his romance with the latter wh... Read allA sophisticated urban woman seduces a farmer in the hopes that he will murder his neglected wife and join her in the city, but he soon finds himself rekindling his romance with the latter when she discovers their scheme.A sophisticated urban woman seduces a farmer in the hopes that he will murder his neglected wife and join her in the city, but he soon finds himself rekindling his romance with the latter when she discovers their scheme.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
51K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • F.W. Murnau
  • Writers
    • Carl Mayer(scenario)
    • Hermann Sudermann(from an original theme by)
    • Katherine Hilliker(titles)
  • Stars
    • George O'Brien
    • Janet Gaynor
    • Margaret Livingston
Top credits
  • Director
    • F.W. Murnau
  • Writers
    • Carl Mayer(scenario)
    • Hermann Sudermann(from an original theme by)
    • Katherine Hilliker(titles)
  • Stars
    • George O'Brien
    • Janet Gaynor
    • Margaret Livingston
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 280User reviews
    • 123Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 9 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Scarlet Nexus
    Trailer 2:21
    Scarlet Nexus

    Photos85

    F.W. Murnau, Margaret Livingston, George O'Brien, and Karl Struss in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    George O'Brien in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Margaret Livingston in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Sidney Bracey, Sally Eilers, Margaret Livingston, George O'Brien, and Harry Semels in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    George O'Brien in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Margaret Livingston and George O'Brien in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Janet Gaynor in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
    Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)

    Top cast

    Edit
    George O'Brien
    George O'Brien
    • The Manas The Man
    Janet Gaynor
    Janet Gaynor
    • The Wifeas The Wife
    Margaret Livingston
    Margaret Livingston
    • The Woman From the Cityas The Woman From the City
    Bodil Rosing
    Bodil Rosing
    • The Maidas The Maid
    J. Farrell MacDonald
    J. Farrell MacDonald
    • The Photographeras The Photographer
    • (as J. Farrell McDonald)
    Ralph Sipperly
    • The Barberas The Barber
    Jane Winton
    Jane Winton
    • The Manicure Girlas The Manicure Girl
    Arthur Housman
    Arthur Housman
    • The Obtrusive Gentlemanas The Obtrusive Gentleman
    Eddie Boland
    • The Obliging Gentlemanas The Obliging Gentleman
    Herman Bing
    Herman Bing
    • Streetcar Conductoras Streetcar Conductor
    • (uncredited)
    Sidney Bracey
    Sidney Bracey
    • Dance Hall Manageras Dance Hall Manager
    • (uncredited)
    Gino Corrado
    Gino Corrado
    • Manager of Hair Salonas Manager of Hair Salon
    • (uncredited)
    Vondell Darr
    • Little Girlas Little Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Sally Eilers
    Sally Eilers
    • Woman in Dance Hallas Woman in Dance Hall
    • (uncredited)
    Gibson Gowland
    Gibson Gowland
    • Angry Driveras Angry Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Fletcher Henderson
    Fletcher Henderson
    • Performer - Song: 'Tozo'as Performer - Song: 'Tozo'
    • (uncredited)
    Leon Janney
    Leon Janney
    • Boyas Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Thomas Jefferson
    Thomas Jefferson
    • Old Seamanas Old Seaman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • F.W. Murnau
    • Writers
      • Carl Mayer(scenario)
      • Hermann Sudermann(from an original theme by)
      • Katherine Hilliker(titles)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In this fable-morality subtitled "A Song of Two Humans", the "evil" temptress is a city woman who bewitches farmer Anses and tries to convince him to murder his neglected wife, Indre. —alfiehitchie
    • silent film
    • murder plot
    • troubled marriage
    • extramarital affair
    • city country contrast
    • 60 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • THE SCREEN MASTERPIECE OF 1927 (Print Ad- New York Sun, ((New York NY)) 17 December 1927)
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      F.W. Murnau hated using title cards in his films. Thus, in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), the title cards become more and more infrequent as the film progresses and virtually non-existent by the end.
    • Goofs
      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.

    • Alternate versions
      Two major versions of the film exist - the version for the American market, and the version for the Czech market. While obviously the same basic film, the Czech version is about 15 minutes shorter and features alternate angles/takes for much of the movie - this was not uncommon in the days of silent films when marketing them abroad.
    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une vague nouvelle (1999)

    User reviews280

    Review
    Top review
    The Greatest Of The Silent Films
    I am a big fan of the silent era, especially the German expressionist films, and I would have to say that although there are many great silent films-- Metropolis, Pandora's Box, The Wind, etc.-- this film is my favorite. I feel that it is Murnau's greatest film. While it does not have the social implications of his films such as "Nosferatu" or "Faust," the cinematography, acting, and Murnau's unabashed belief in the power of love helps this film to rise above the rest.

    The acting is sterling, with a 21-year-old Janet Gaynor looking incredibly similar to Drew Barrymore, and delivering a layered performance that reveals her character's strong but tenuous emotional state. I suspect that George O'Brien wasn't exactly what Murnau wanted for his lead actor, due to the lengths that Murnau went to to extract O'Brien's performance, but credit is due the actor for a performance which was brave at times and never ego-centric.

    Murnau's use of symbolism and metaphor are suppressed compared to the standards of his other films. In this film their use is more to augment the story rather than actually being the story under the narrative. One example is the fish nets waving the wind as O'Brien returns home from his tryst with the dark seductress, a terrific metaphor for his entrapment and helplessness.

    The story itself is one that can appeal to many audiences, as it has its fair share of melodrama, comedy, sap, and suspense. I saw this film with my 17-year-old nephew, who is your typical disaffected digital generation teenager, and he was awful quiet during the dramatic sequences and awful loud during the comic portions. It is amazing how I my own emotions were manipulated by the film without Murnau ever being manipulative or obvious.

    The true star of this film, of course, is the cinematography. It is simply awesome. I have done a lot of work with old film cameras, and I have no clue how Strauss managed some of the shots he did. Murnau was one of the first directors, if not the first, to use camera motion during a film. This was no small feat in the days where the camera was not motorized and had to be hand-cranked. The camera movement is amazing. There is a shot where O'Brien moves through the swamp, with wet, muddy, and uneven ground, to meet the woman from the city, and the camera tracks along with him. It looks like a steadicam shot! No track could have performed this shot as it exists, and I have no explanation on how he did this other than that he must have suspended the camera from the ceiling of the studio. Shooting a swamp scene with fog and a full moon in a studio is a feat in itself. There are also other feats of cinematography. There are several shots where the city is the typical cardboard cutout, there are people milling around in the street, yet the trains and trolleys are obviously models. HOW????? If you are able to get the DVD with the cinematography commentary, it is well worth the investment.

    To the king of the silents... 10/10
    helpful•83
    17
    • FlickeringLight
    • Jul 21, 2004

    FAQ2

    • Is "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" based on a book?
    • Was "Sunrise" the first talkie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 4, 1927 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Излазак сунца
    • Filming locations
      • Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Fox Film Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $200,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $121,107
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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