The Sundowners (1960)

In Australia's Outback during the early twentieth century, the impoverished Carmody family lives a nomadic life out of their wagon, but the mom and son want to settle, while the dad is against it.

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Writers:

Isobel Lennart (screenplay), Jon Cleary (novel)

Stars:

Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Peter Ustinov

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Deborah Kerr	...	Ida Carmody
Robert Mitchum	...	Paddy Carmody
Peter Ustinov	...	Rupert Venneker
Glynis Johns	...	Mrs. Firth
Dina Merrill	...	Jean Halstead
Chips Rafferty	...	Quinlan
Michael Anderson Jr.	...	Sean Carmody
Lola Brooks	...	Liz Brown
Wylie Watson	...	Herb Johnson
John Meillon	...	Bluey Brown
Ronald Fraser	...	Ocker
Gerry Duggan	...	Shearer
Leonard Teale	...	Shearer
Peter Carver	...	Shearer
Dick Bentley	...	Shearer

Storyline

In the Australian Outback, the Carmody family, Paddy (Robert Mitchum), Ida (Deborah Kerr), and their teenage son Sean (Michael Anderson, Jr.), 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 race horse will all have a part in the final decision.

---

Plot Keywords:

farm | sheep | australia | australian outback | sheep shearing | 

---

Taglines:

HERE COME "THE SUNDOWNERS"!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Sundowners

Filming Locations:

Jindabyne, New South Wales, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros. Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Uncredited theatrical movie debut of Ray Barrett (Man at Pub/Two-Up Game).

---

Goofs

During the shearing contest, at the first break, Robert Mitchum collapses onto his seat and his opponent is shown in the background getting his pipe out of his pocket, lighting up and smoking. Then the camera cuts to a closeup of the opponent and he is shown getting his pipe out and lighting up again.

---

Quotes

Sean Carmody: Gee, it's gonna be fun. This is the first time I've ever been away from home.
Shearer: What, with your mom and dad not fifty yards outside that window, and you call that being away from home?
Rupert Venneker: Certainly. Being out in the world is a state of mind, not of geography. The distance between that tent and this bunker is the longest journey you will ever make in your life.

---

Connections

Referenced in Australian Movies to the World (1983)

---

Soundtracks

The Lime-Juice Tub
(uncredited)
Traditional
Quoted in the background score and played by the band at the first race meeting and also sung at Mrs Firth's hotel

User Reviews

Australia!

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.