The Sundowners
Directed by Fred Zinnemann
Written by Isobel Linnart from a novel by Jon Cleary
1960/UK
Warner Bros. Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Ida Carmody: This is a good country for sheep and it’s not bad for men, but it’s hard on us women. The men come here because of the sheep, and we come here because of the men, and most of us finish up looking like the sheep. Wrinkled faces, knotty hair, and not even much of a mind of our own.[/box]
This is a pleasant picture about a family of Australian migrant workers played by Americans and Brits.
Paddy Carmody (Robert Mitchum) has a serious case of wanderlust. He would rather spend his time in various pubs but when the family is out of cash he prefers to work as a drover. This involves herding sheep from farm to market. The family lives in a tent. His wife Ida (Deborah Mitchum) and son Sean are tiring of life on the road but basically this is a close and devoted family. As the film begins, the Carmody’s are about to set off on their latest droving work. Paddy gets drunk, magnanimously hires aging Englishman Rupert Venneker (Peter Ustinov) and his horse, and regrets it in the morning. Rupert talks his way back onto the journey and develops a special bond with Sean.
When the family arrives at its destination, Ida, still desperate for a home of her own, hears of well-paying sheep-shearing work. This is really not Paddy’s thing but fate has other ideas. It turns out Paddy is a fast and efficient worker. Ida gets hired on as a cook and both Rupert and Sean have other jobs. The family accumulates a nest egg but it is another matter to get Paddy to settle down … With Glynis Johns as a cheerful inn proprietor who strikes up a sometime romance with Rupert.
It took awhile for me to get used to Robert Mitchum’s Australian accent but once I did I settled down to enjoy the film. All the acting is good with Kerr particularly fine in a role that is a bit of a stretch for her. The movie seemed to have something for the entire family with beautiful shots of Australian scenery and animals as a bonus.
The Sundowners was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Picture; Best Actress (Kerr); Best Supporting Actress (Johns); Best Director; and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.
Trailer
