The Sundowners (1960)

7.1Approved141 minDirector: Fred Zinnemann

1960 film by Fred Zinnemann

The Sundowners is a 1960 drama Western film film that tells the story of a 1920s Australian outback family torn between the father's desires to continue his nomadic sheep-herding ways and the wife and son's desire to settle in one place. The Sundowners was produced and directed by Fred Zinnemann, adapted by Isobel Lennart from Jon Cleary's 1952 novel of the same name, with Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, and Peter Ustinov, Glynis Johns, Mervyn Johns, Dina Merrill, Michael Anderson Jr., and Chips Rafferty.

In 2019, FilmInk cited it among "50 meat pie Westerns".

At the 33rd Academy Awards, it was in the running for Best Picture, and Kerr was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Johns for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Zinnemann for Best Director, and Lennart for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, with no Academy wins.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Sundowners about?
The Sundowners (1960) — 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 cont
Is The Sundowners based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Sundowners scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.