Sundown (1941)

29% of users liked it
(67 ratings)

Adapted by Barre Lyndon from his own Saturday Evening Post short story, Sundown takes place in Africa during WW2. British army major Coombes (George Sanders) cannot abide the local Arab population, and he has even less time for district commissioner Crawford (Bruce Cabot), who has befriended the… More Adapted by Barre Lyndon from his own Saturday Evening Post short story, Sundown takes place in Africa during WW2. British army major Coombes (George Sanders) cannot abide the local Arab population, and he has even less time for district commissioner Crawford (Bruce Cabot), who has befriended the natives. Crawford is particularly fond of the beautiful Zia (Gene Tierney), whom Coombes suspects of being a Nazi sympathizer. But when the British troops must make their way through treacherous uncharted territory, they are forced to rely upon the guidance of the enigmatic Zia. Cedric Hardwycke spouts reams and reams of symbolic dialogue as the local British bishop, while among the native extras is a very young Dorothy Dandridge. Impressively photographed (by Charles Lang) and directed (by Henry Hathaway), Sundown just misses being as profound as it obviously wants to be. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Henry Hathaway
Written By: Barré Lyndon, Charles G. Booth
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 31, 1941 Wide
On DVD: Sep 5, 2000

Critic Reviews

Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
[A] dazzling combination of Charles Lang's Oscar-nominated photography and director Henry Hathaway's expert staging of several night battles.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Not bad desert pic set in a time of colonialism in Kenya. Gene Tierney is fantastically beautiful but still green in front of the camera and miscast but she tries. George Sanders gives the best performance and seems looser than usual.

Cast

            Bruce Cabot as Capt. Bill Crawford

            Gene Tierney as Zia

            George Sanders as Maj. Coombes

            Cedric Hardwicke as Bishop Coombes

            Harry Carey as Dewey

            Joseph Calleia as Pallini

            Reginald Gardiner as Lt. Turner

            Carl Esmond as Kuypens

            Marc Lawrence I as Hammud

            Jeni Le Gon as Miriami

            Emmett E. Smith as Kipsang

            Dorothy Dandridge as Kipsang's Bride

            Tetsu Komai as Kuypens' Shenzi Aide

            Curtis Nero as Corporal of Askaris

            Darby Jones as Camel Man

            Jester Hairston as Native Boy

            Gilbert Emery as Ashburton

            Blue Washington as Askari Veteran

            Hassan Said as Arab Reader

            Woody Strode as Tribal Policeman

            St. Luke's Choristers
            
            Kenny Washington as Sgt. Kumakwa

            Frank Clark
            
            Frederick Clark as Ibraham

            Rory Calhoun
            
            Ivan Browning as Signal Man

            William Dunn as Kipsang's Victim

            Eddie Das as Pindi
See full cast