The Sundowners

The Sundowners is a dramatic western-style movie that was set in Australia in the 1920's. It stars Deborah Kerr as Ida Carmody and Robert Mitchem as her husband, Paddy. It was released on August 19, 1961, and nominated for five Oscars. http://www.allmovie.com/work/the-sundowners

The Sundowners is the story of a family of migrant Irish sheep drovers in 1920's Australia. The family consists of Paddy Carmody (Robert Mitchum) his wife Ida (Deborrah Kerr) and their teenage son Sean (Michael Anderson Jr.) Paddy was born to wander and loved his families migrant kind of life but his wife and son wanted to settle down on a farm somewhere. Ida and Sean's deep desire to stop wandering finally convinces Paddy to give up his vagabond lifestyle to take a job as a sheep-shearer. The goal is to earn enough money that they can put a down payment on a farm. The family met up with a vagabond bachelor named Rupert Vannecker (Peter Ustinov) who ends up joining up with the family. Even though Paddy has given into his families wishes, no one knows not even Paddy how long Paddy will be able to keep that promise. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9401E3DF1630EF3ABC4153DFB467838B679EDE&partner=Rotten Tomatoes

• Deborah Kerr as Ida Carmody

• Robert Mitchum as Paddy Carmody

• Peter Ustinov as Rupert Venneker

• Glynis Johns as Mrs. Firth

• Dina Merrill as Jean Halstead

• Chips Rafferty as Quinlan

• Michael Anderson Jr. as Sean Carmody

• Lola Brooks as Liz Brown

• Wylie Watson as Herb Johnson

• John Meillon as Bluey Brown

• Ronald Fraser as Ocker

• Gerry Duggan as Shearer

• Leonard Teale as Shearer

• Peter Carver as Shearer

• Dick Bentley as Shearer

"Hardly the most conflict-driven film of Fred Zinneman's career, or anyone's, The Sundowners is characterized by a gentle tone that effectively complements its striking Australian location photography."—Keith Phipps, Allmovie.com http://www.allmovie.com/work/the-sundowners

"A touching Fred Zinnemann movie (1960) about an Australian sheepherding family."—Joanthan Rosenbaum, Chicago Readerhttp://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-sundowners/Film?oid=1057431

"What is nice about these people and valid about this film, is that they have an abundance of freshness, openness and vitality."—Bosley Crowther, The New York Times http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9401E3DF1630EF3ABC4153DFB467838B679EDE&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes