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      The Sun Shines Bright

      Released May 2, 1953 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy Drama List
      60% 5 Reviews Tomatometer 71% 250+ Ratings Audience Score A straight-talking, sensible public servant, Judge William Pittman Priest (Charles Winninger) is friendly with most of the townspeople in his Kentucky hometown. The town's upper-class set feels differently, however, and backs a presumptuous Yankee newcomer, Horace K. Maydew (Milburn Stone), for the judge's seat at election time. Judge Priest has to use all his wiles to hang on to his office, while continuing to be a voice for the town's underclass and for democratic values. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member A film worth a complicated reaction. On the one hand, there are the many racial stereotypes that are eye-opening in how starkly misguided and bigoted the film is. On the other hand, there is Ford's humanism in other passages, none more so than in the justifiably famous funeral procession. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Intriguing and eccentric film from John Ford. It's more of a loosely woven together set of stories than a conventional narrative. It's perhaps the first film where you see Ford straining to arrive at more complex representations of African Americans and a serious acknowledgment of racism and lynching. The final funeral procession is quite amazing. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the most egregious forms of bigotry is bigotry under the guise of liberalism. Ford wants us to treat blacks as equals, but paints them in ugly stereotypes, ridiculous caricatures who have no ambition but servitude to their white superiors. I kept waiting for one of them to blurt out "I sho do love me some white folk!". The courtroom scene is almost as offensive as anything from Birth of a Nation. The white characters aren't much better, and tend towards either "annoying" or "bland". And then there's the usual sentimental hooey about God and country, and a disturbingly affectionate stance towards the Confederacy. Plus, alcoholism is portrayed as a charming character trait. There's a few good scenes, but Ford's predilection for myth-making taints even those. Thankfully not as awful as Tobacco Road, but definitely not my sort of thing. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member A latter day western which concerns itself with parables surrounding 'Judge Priest'. Charles Winninger puts in a nice performance as the honorable and moralistic lead, but his character is a little too glossy and idealistic on the whole. It's identifiably a John Ford film through the direction and he produces another solid piece of cinema here. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member wow umn just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a good movie 2 watch.....its got a good cast of actors/actressess throughout this movie....i think that arleen whelan, charles winninger, john russell, russell simpson, stepin fetchit play good roles/parts throughout this movie...i think that the director of this drama/action/adventure/classics movie had done a good job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie....i think that charles winniger is great as judge william priest throughout this movie....i think that this is a great movie 2 watch with a good cast throughout this movie n its enjoyable 2 watch Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Probably my favorite Ford film. I loved Judge Priest, which Ford made 20 years earlier with Will Rogers, but the formal control Ford exercises in this film is outstanding even by his standards. The film includes what to my mind is the greatest sequence in any Ford film, a funeral procession that proceeds largely without dialogue for several minutes, ending with a sermon at the church. The poetry of Ford's cinema is never clearer than in this scene. Beautiful and humane. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Sun Shines Bright

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (5) Critics Reviews
      Rob Aldam Backseat Mafia Provides a snapshot of small-town politics at the beginning of the twentieth century. Jan 21, 2022 Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine Director John Ford made this corny, over-sentimental Deep South melodrama between The Quiet Man and Mogambo. Shame on the great man. Nov 13, 2019 Full Review Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Nostalgic for a world he never knew and which never really existed, progressive-minded and a little reactionary at the same time, innately sad for the passing of an era, deeply humane, and, yes, with a dash of utterly arbitrary beefcake. Rated: 5/5 Mar 17, 2015 Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid A marvelously entertaining film, laid back and effortlessly told, despite the social commentary and intertwining subplots. Mar 28, 2013 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews A heavy mix of mushy sentimentality and low-brow comedy. Rated: C Dec 26, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis A straight-talking, sensible public servant, Judge William Pittman Priest (Charles Winninger) is friendly with most of the townspeople in his Kentucky hometown. The town's upper-class set feels differently, however, and backs a presumptuous Yankee newcomer, Horace K. Maydew (Milburn Stone), for the judge's seat at election time. Judge Priest has to use all his wiles to hang on to his office, while continuing to be a voice for the town's underclass and for democratic values.
      Director
      John Ford
      Screenwriter
      Irvin S. Cobb, Laurence Stallings
      Distributor
      Republic Pictures
      Production Co
      Argosy Productions Corporation
      Genre
      Comedy, Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 2, 1953, Original
      Release Date (DVD)
      Oct 1, 2015
      Sound Mix
      Mono
      Aspect Ratio
      Flat (1.37:1)