The Sundowners (1960)

Directed by
Fred Zinnemann
,
George Templeton

This colourful and affectionate film is a portrayal of an Irish family called the Carmody's, in 1920's Australian Outback.

The father, Paddy (Robert Mitchum) is a perpetual wanderer and thankfully for him his job allows him to do this endlessly, as a shweep drover he and his family are permanently on the go.

As the family supervises the transit of a thousand sheep across the continent, their hopes, fears, longings and conflicts are revealed to us.

However his wife, Ida (Deborah Kerr) and teenage son, Sean (Michael Anderson Jr.) yearn to settle and plant their roots for the foreseeable future.

Its now down to a sheep-shearing contest, the birth of a child, drinking, gambling and a race horse which will all have a part in the final decision.

Written by ,

Genre: Film

Running Time: 133 minutes (approx)

Production Year: 1960

Rating:
3/5 Stars

Classification: U Certificate

Production Country: UK/Australia

Filmed in Colour

Cast

Deborah Kerr...Ida Carmody
Image for Robert MitchumRobert Mitchum...Paddy Carmody
Image for Peter UstinovPeter Ustinov...Rupert Venneker
Image for Glynis JohnsGlynis Johns...Mrs. Firth
Dina Merrill...Jean Halstead
Chips Rafferty...Quinlan
Michael Anderson Jr....Sean Carmody
Lola Brooks...Liz Brown
Wylie Watson...Herb Johnson
Image for John MeillonJohn Meillon...Bluey Brown
Ronald Fraser...Ocker
Dick Bentley...Shearer
Image for Mervyn JohnsMervyn Johns...Jack Patchogue mayor of Cawndilla
Molly Urquhart...Mrs. Bateman
Ewen Solon...Halstead