The Sundowners (1960)

In Australia's Outback during the early 20th 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, Ida and their teenage son Sean--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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

FILMED IN AUSTRALIA. YOU are part of its blazing excitement...its elemental drama...its rousing laughter, all of which made 'The Sundowners' the year's record-shattering tops in entertainment !

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Genres:

Drama | Adventure

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

Country:

UK USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 February 1961 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Tres vidas errantes

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

First full length cinema film of Ray Barrett.

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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.

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Quotes

Sean Carmody: [on hearing Venneker had been a ship's captain] Why'd you leave?
Rupert Venneker: My stomach. I was a notoriously bad sailor.
Sean Carmody: Dad says you must have been a better sailor than you are a horseman.
Rupert Venneker: What the devil is he talking about? I was cashiered from the 17th Lancers before he knew one end of a horse from the other! NOT that he does now! Hah!
Sean Carmody: What does cashiered mean?
Rupert Venneker: Uh - kind of promotion from the army into civilian life.

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Connections

Referenced in On Location with the Sundowners (1960)

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Soundtracks

The Wild Colonial Boy
(uncredited)
Traditional
Quoted in the background score and sung by Paddy Carmody (Robert Mitchum) in the hotel

User Reviews

If this movie isn't perfect, than none are.

I have a few "special" movies. This is one of them. It's about people needing people---like "Breakfast at Tiffanys." Can you imagine two more different movies. But, the theme is the same, really. We need each other. This movie is 100% honest. No gimmicks. Only one in a thousand movies can claim that. You can have your "Citizen Kane" or your "Casablanca." I'll take this movie. In a heartbeat. A wonderful story, a wonderful director, real people. Honesty. Every inch of the movie is a joy. It's the kind of movie I can watch over and over. It's a love story, really, isn't it. But, it's a love story of two people who have been married a long time. How rare is that. And, a story of a wonderful culture. And, the music is quite beautiful, I think.