“The Sundowners” is a western drama about an outlaw drifter who arrives in a small Texas town, already experiencing problems with cattle rustling. He exacerbates the situation causing a full-blown range war to break out. This western really has nothing new, but is well executed by director George Templeton from a good script by Alan Le May, based on Le May’s own 1934 novel “Thunder in the Dust.”
The cast is headed by Robert Preston as Kid Wichita, the heavy of the piece and the lead character. This is a different role for Preston, known for appearing in musicals. He actually does pick up a guitar and sings a western song called “O’Riley,” written by Alberto Colombo, who also composed the soundtrack.
Co-stars include Robert Sterling, Chill Wills, Jack Elam, Cathy Downs, John Little, Don Haggerty, Stanley Price, and John Drew Barrymore, in his feature film debut. He was billed as John Barrymore Jr. His not so notable movie career bridges the generation gap between his father, John Barrymore, his uncle and aunt Lionel and Ethel Barrymore, down to his daughter, Drew Barrymore.
The watchable Technicolor horse opera “The Sundowners” was an independent production from producers George Templeton and Alan Le May, Le May-Templeton Productions, and Eagle-Lion Films.
The Sundowners (1950)
cinema
My Review
“The Sundowners” is a western drama about an outlaw drifter who arrives in a small Texas town, already experiencing problems with cattle rustling. He exacerbates the situation causing a full-blown range war to break out. This western really has nothing new, but is well executed by director George Templeton from a good script by Alan Le May, based on Le May’s own 1934 novel “Thunder in the Dust.”
The cast is headed by Robert Preston as Kid Wichita, the heavy of the piece and the lead character. This is a different role for Preston, known for appearing in musicals. He actually does pick up a guitar and sings a western song called “O’Riley,” written by Alberto Colombo, who also composed the soundtrack.
Co-stars include Robert Sterling, Chill Wills, Jack Elam, Cathy Downs, John Little, Don Haggerty, Stanley Price, and John Drew Barrymore, in his feature film debut. He was billed as John Barrymore Jr. His not so notable movie career bridges the generation gap between his father, John Barrymore, his uncle and aunt Lionel and Ethel Barrymore, down to his daughter, Drew Barrymore.
The watchable Technicolor horse opera “The Sundowners” was an independent production from producers George Templeton and Alan Le May, Le May-Templeton Productions, and Eagle-Lion Films.