Sundown is a 1924 American silent Western film directed by Laurence Trimble and Harry O. Hoyt, produced and distributed by First National Pictures, and starring Bessie Love. Frances Marion, Marion Fairfax, and Kenneth B. Clarke wrote the screenplay based on an original screen story by Earl Hudson. This film was the only production cinematographer David Thompson ever worked on. This film is presumed lost.[2][3]
| Sundown | |
|---|---|
_-_1.jpg) Newspaper advertisement | |
| Directed by | Laurence Trimble Harry O. Hoyt |
| Written by | Frances Marion (scenario) Marion Fairfax (scenario) Kenneth B. Clarke (scenario) |
| Story by | Earl Hudson |
| Starring | Bessie Love |
| Cinematography | David Thompson |
| Edited by | Cyril Gardner |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | First National Pictures (as Associated First National) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 9 reels; 8,640 feet[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Silent English intertitles |
Production
editIt was primarily filmed on location in Texas, on a plateau 75 miles (121 km) outside of El Paso.[4]
Plot
editIn the American West, tensions between ranchers and homesteaders rise as homesteads take over land that ranchers need for their cattle. John Brent (Stewart) and his son Hugh (Bosworth) decide to drive their cattle to Mexico and settle there. Their cattle stampede, destroying the home of the Crawleys. Young Ellen Crawley (Love) convinces the Brents to let her family accompany them to Mexico. Hugh and Ellen fall in love.[1][5]
Cast
edit- Bessie Love as Ellen Crawley
- Roy Stewart as Hugh Brent
- Hobart Bosworth as John Brent
- Arthur Hoyt as Henry Crawley
- Charlie Murray as Pat Meech
- Jere Austin as John Burke
- Charles Crockett as Joe Patton
- E. J. Ratcliffe as President Theodore Roosevelt
- Margaret McWade as Mrs. Brent
- Bernard Randall as William Dickson
- Charles Sellon as Ranchman
- Hal Wilson as Ranch Owner (uncredited)
Reception
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Munden, Kenneth W., ed. (1971). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films 1921–1930. New York: R.R. Bowker Company. p. 776. ISBN 9780520215214. OCLC 664500075.
- ^ Bennett, Carl (June 16, 2010). "Progressive Silent Film List: Sundown". Silent Era.
- ^ "American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Sundown". The Library of Congress. September 3, 2023.
- ^ Love, Bessie (May 12, 1966). "Moonlighting for Sundown". The Christian Science Monitor. p. 8.
- ^ a b Reid, Laurence (November 1, 1924). "Should tax the capacity of the best houses in the land". Exhibitors Trade Review. p. 10.
- ^ "Ought to enjoy a long and prosperous season". Moving Picture World. November 15, 1924. p. 211.
- ^ "Another clean-up tour commences". Moving Picture World. November 1, 1924. p. 20.
- ^ "'Sundown' Given High Praise by Reviewers in Washington". Moving Picture World. November 8, 1924. p. 154.
- ^ "'Sundown' Proves a Hit in Two More Big Cities". Moving Picture World. November 15, 1924. p. 260.
External links
edit
- Sundown at IMDb
- Sundown at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Lobby poster at the Wayback Machine (archived September 11, 2014)
- Still featuring Bessie Love
- Lobby card