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      The Sundowners

      Released Feb 2, 1950 1h 23m Western List
      Reviews 28% 500+ Ratings Audience Score Texans Tom (Robert Sterling) and Jeff Cloud (John Barrymore Jr.) find a corpse on their ranch. Earl Boyce (Jack Elam) saw who killed the man, but he's too frightened to tell. Outlaw Kid Wichita (Robert Preston), another Cloud brother, comes to town to offer his services. After catching some local ranchers messing around with Tom's cattle, he steals the men's saddles. From there, things deteriorate into kidnapping, gang wars and murder, and the line between hero and villain becomes blurred. Read More Read Less

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      The Sundowners

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      Audience Reviews

      View All (11) audience reviews
      Audience Member A good one right here and I’ll tell you I almost didn’t recognize Jack Elementary he was so young.yes I recommended James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas February 27, 2023 Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member I was actually looking for the Robert Mitchum Australian sheep-ranching drama but ended up renting this one by accident. It's a classic B-western with familiar themes, shot in some early version of technicolor (but well-faded and rather murky in this print). Robert Sterling is a Texas rancher who is losing many of his cattle to rustling - that is, until the Wichita Kid (Robert Preston), a notorious outlaw, shows up to help him out. Soon, they have embarrassed the rustlers and Sterling and his younger brother, Jeff (John Barrymore Jr), are indebted to Wichita. That is, until they discover that he has been up to no good, interloping with Cathy Downs (who is married to Jack Elam but an object of affection for Sterling) as well as doing some rustling of his own (with Jeff in his posse). Soon, both Elam and the Sheriff are dead and Sterling has to face the Wichita Kid - who turns out to be his own brother. As I said, this is purely B fare, although the plot is a bit more intense than is standard for the bottom of the bill and Preston's charisma does elevate things. But it was a helluva murky print. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Robert Preston sings about O'riley and shoots straight. He is the good guy and his brother is the good guy, too. The bad guys have the law on their side and the other ranchers. Young Barrymore is a charmer. This movie was filmed in a beautiful canyon in Texas. Lots of cattle and a pretty girl, too. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member 161002: Overall, the story just doesn't make a lot of sense but it is what it is. Kid Wichita (Robert Preston) is the highlight and he keeps you guessing throughout the film. Other than being a bit crazy, not sure Wichita really has a motive. He appears to enjoy violence and challenging those around him, regardless of what side of the law they are on. Jack Elam makes a limited appearance as Earl Boyce. Not a waste of time but there are a lot of better westerns to spend an hour and a half on. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member well crafted drama but skip this and see the 1960 version Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review dave j Tuesday, October 30, 2012 (1950) The Sundowners WESTERN Two brothers bickering over cattle and horses whereas one is ethical (Robert Cummings) and the other one is immoral. The bad brother is soon idolized by the good brother's only son creating more havoc amongst the family once he starts shooting people at random. This movie drags with uninteresting characters. 2 out of 4 Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Sundowners

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis Texans Tom (Robert Sterling) and Jeff Cloud (John Barrymore Jr.) find a corpse on their ranch. Earl Boyce (Jack Elam) saw who killed the man, but he's too frightened to tell. Outlaw Kid Wichita (Robert Preston), another Cloud brother, comes to town to offer his services. After catching some local ranchers messing around with Tom's cattle, he steals the men's saddles. From there, things deteriorate into kidnapping, gang wars and murder, and the line between hero and villain becomes blurred.
      Director
      George Templeton
      Screenwriter
      Alan Le May
      Distributor
      Eagle-Lion Films Inc. [us]
      Production Co
      Le May-Templeton Pictures
      Genre
      Western
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Feb 2, 1950, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Aug 11, 2016
      Runtime
      1h 23m
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