Sundown (1941)

Save Your Money

This DVD is missing an entire scene and has a poor quality soundtrack.It was returned. August 28, 2008

......Early WW2 on the Silver Screen......

Not your usual Hollywood shoot'em up war movie, rather, a cerebrate type of a movie if I ever saw one...much to ponder...yes, heavy strains of colonialism smothers this picture, but who is the greatest about colonialism at that time than, "Rule Britannia"...with that aside, the film is good just the same and it shows off Bruce Cabot in a heroic light, but the vivacious, Gene Tierney steals the show with her uncommonly beauty...she needs no dialogue, just soaking her in is Valhalla...this is a big Walter Wanger production which was done with foresight and research beyond it's years...at the time America was still at peace with England holding on valiantly, but alone...a very young Dorothy Dandridge is cast as a Muslim native girl married to a young warrior in the service to the King of England...she says little but her emotions speak volumes for the upset in her village life...wonderful cast with Joseph Calleia, Harry Carey Sr, Reginald Gardiner, Carl Esmond and the staid George Sanders...a must see DVD on a pristine silver screen...throw-in a very good screen/play...Sir Cedric Hardwick is in the final fadeout with much to say and he is eloquent in his British aristocratic delivery....I liked the blown-out church scene at the end; it was inspiring and the tenor of that era to WIN WW2...."Sundown" is good as any WW2 film, it portends the message of winning the good fight....SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF April 15, 2007

Gorgeous star in an average war movie

As World War II rages, District Commisioner Crawford (Bruce Cabot) and Major Coombs (George Sanders) get wind of a plot by the Nazis to arm violent North African tribes and set them upon the Allied forces. An exotic, mysterious caravan mistress (Gene Tierney) arrives at their isolated outpost, but is she a friend, or is it her extensive trading network that the Nazis are using to move their weapons shipments?

"Sundown" is a fairly run-of-the-mill colonial drama, with the steadfast British troops and their valiant native allies standing fast against those who would bring low Britain. It's got a more interesting cast of characters than many of these films--with the liberal minded Crawford truly standing out--and the cast is mostly excellent. The film also benefits from a more exotic locale than many of these films, and the gorgeous photography takes full advantage of this, as does the script. (One bit of repetition that made me scratch my head: why did the bad guys always get gunned down in pools of water?)

Aside from the great camera work, another reason to see "Sundown" is the presence of the absolutely gorgeous Gene Tierney. She truly is one of the most beautiful actresses to ever appear on film, and she doesn't do a whole lot more than walk around looking exotic and gorgeous here. If you haven't seen Tierney do majestically beautiful, you need to see this movie. February 19, 2007

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