Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Shauna R

  
  Quite simply beautiful. One of very few honest and poignant true love stories in cinema. It is very slow paced but highly worthwhile for its moments of romance, humour, tragedy and beauty. Murnau created a timeless silent film that stands up as perhaps one of the greatest films ever… More
  Quite simply beautiful. One of very few honest and poignant true love stories in cinema. It is very slow paced but highly worthwhile for its moments of romance, humour, tragedy and beauty. Murnau created a timeless silent film that stands up as perhaps one of the greatest films ever made.

• Reid V

  
  Did you say 1927? Are you kidding me? Murnau's first American film is a visual masterpiece and decades ahead of it's time. From the expressionist influenced set designs, to the use of superimpositions, and the masterful use of the camera, this film is a visual feast. The… More
  Did you say 1927? Are you kidding me? Murnau's first American film is a visual masterpiece and decades ahead of it's time. From the expressionist influenced set designs, to the use of superimpositions, and the masterful use of the camera, this film is a visual feast. The story isn't strong enough to keep one enthralled throughout the entire picture, but is a testament to the supreme visual power of silent cinema.

• AJ V

  
  This movie is an incredibly simple romantic drama, with a predictable ending, and it's really slow too. I was expecting more, but that was all there was to it. If you really like romantic dramas, you'll like it better than I did, but still I want to say that it could have… More
  This movie is an incredibly simple romantic drama, with a predictable ending, and it's really slow too. I was expecting more, but that was all there was to it. If you really like romantic dramas, you'll like it better than I did, but still I want to say that it could have been better.

• E.J. B

  
  Sunrise is so timeless because it is, quite simply, one of the most beautiful films ever shot. Every frame is so expertly composed, and I guess that's what makes the film so engaging. Much has to be told within the frame since it is, for the most part, a silent movie. The story… More
  Sunrise is so timeless because it is, quite simply, one of the most beautiful films ever shot. Every frame is so expertly composed, and I guess that's what makes the film so engaging. Much has to be told within the frame since it is, for the most part, a silent movie. The story is such: a man plots to kill his wife because he hates her, and has fallen for another woman. In following through with his plot, he has a sudden change of heart, but not before his wife realizes his intentions. The tone of the film often shifts from disturbing, to sad, to wonderfully joyful, and occasionally forays into slapstick comedy. Yet, all these emotions are woven together so effortlessly thanks to the editing and the shot composition. The film progresses like a poem. Murnau allows the viewer to become engrossed with the action in the frame. He emphasizes close ups, creating an active relationship between the film and its audience. We experience every emotion felt by the two lead characters. Sunrise is an absolute masterpiece, a gem of its era, and is still an important cinematic milestone even today.

• Cindy I

  
  A breathtaking example of early cinema courtesy of F.W. Murnau. A young married farmer is having an affair with "a woman from the city." She talks him into a murder plot with his wife as the victim. The story isn't anything special, but the performances are excellent,… More
  A breathtaking example of early cinema courtesy of F.W. Murnau. A young married farmer is having an affair with "a woman from the city." She talks him into a murder plot with his wife as the victim. The story isn't anything special, but the performances are excellent, particularly in the scene where the wife realizes what horrible deed her husband is contemplating. But that's not what makes this film so extraordinary. Murnau embues this film with such magic and beauty that even though it's B&W, you'll swear later you saw it in color. A special Oscar category was created just to honor this film. An artistic masterpiece.

• Jonathan H

  
  Held aloft by director F. W. Murnau's visual genius, Sunrise is one of the greatest silent films ever made, and a wonderful example of the medium's capabilities, then and now. Beautiful, dark and luminous, and astonishing even today, it has exerted a profound influence on… More
  Held aloft by director F. W. Murnau's visual genius, Sunrise is one of the greatest silent films ever made, and a wonderful example of the medium's capabilities, then and now. Beautiful, dark and luminous, and astonishing even today, it has exerted a profound influence on countless subsequent films, and represents an undisputed pinnacle of the art form. The only thing inhibiting this film is its rather pedestrian, thinly plotted story -- but that's about the only critique to be found here. Murnau's visual mastery, his marriage of expressionism, visual lyricism and the daring technological ambition of pre-sound Hollywood, shows silent cinema at its absolute pinnacle. Christopher Null wrote that Sunrise is the film for people who tend to avoid silent films. I think he's right. This film is so sophisticated in terms of style, formal technique, and innovation that it feels remarkably modern. Much like Amelie is the gateway drug into foreign film, maybe Sunrise is the gateway drug into silent film. If you're usually put off by these kind of films, check out Sunrise -- it may serve as an excellent entry point into the incredible world of silent cinema.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Majestic, lyrical, endlessly beautiful tale of redemption. Murnau was one of the few gifted artists capable of translating all the intensity, horror, magic and mistery of human sentiments on celluloid as perfect as this.

• Stella D

  
  the age old story of the evil city woman lol. the film is really quite stunning. it starts off full of dread but continues through humor and pathos very artfully. the city scenes are priceless. definitely one of the best silent films i've watched

• Veronique K

  
  "sunrise" is german classic director murnau's masterpiece, and inevitably it's tinted with the contagious visuality of berlin expressionism to convey the protagonists' drastic moods which is laying bare the introvert in the extrovertly perceptive manners.… More
  "sunrise" is german classic director murnau's masterpiece, and inevitably it's tinted with the contagious visuality of berlin expressionism to convey the protagonists' drastic moods which is laying bare the introvert in the extrovertly perceptive manners. the story is about a married farmer's purgatory journey to re-seek his primary love for his chaste wife after indulging in the illicit affair with a urbanite flapper who sinfully coaxes him into drowning his spouse. due to the thick aesthetism permeating in this flick, it transcends beyond its potential moralistic content with the doctrine of marital fidelity, perhaps also partially related to the male madonna/whore complex which is a compartmentalizing dualism of female categorization. his wife is made typically innocent and enduringly virtuous, and his mistress is depicted as the ruthlessly amoral siren who attempts to obtain everything by any means. the photography is dreamy in excellent craftmanship, such as the overlayered shot which surrounds the man with two embracing kisses as well as the floral pasture of lovers wandering happily in the field. of course, the gimmick of accidental smacker shot is heart-warmingly pleasant. "sunrise" delineates love in a mostly childlike aroma, paying its hommage to the patriachal ideal without pretentiousness, also a pleasure of sheer purity, blossoming in marnau's uniquely descriptive camera angles.

• Ken S

  
  The best silent movie of all time. Beautiful, funny, romantic, suspenseful and inspiring...all without the use of words<br/><br/>Simply Amazing

• Dillon L

  
  Murnau really is a master at mise en scene. Such a powerful, effective and lovely example of silent art. Absolutely beautiful.

• Byron B

  
  The part I found most interesting was when the couple goes to the city. Seeing the train ride, the city life, and the rural man and woman's unease with the ways of the city is such a rare view into the past. Very romantic story as well.

• Matthew Y

  
  A bold film and a heartwarming tale. Sunrise begins with a man who has fallen out of love with his wife and contemplates killing her. As he's about to commit the act he flashes back to when the two fall in love and rekindles his affections. The two have a merry day out together… More
  A bold film and a heartwarming tale. Sunrise begins with a man who has fallen out of love with his wife and contemplates killing her. As he's about to commit the act he flashes back to when the two fall in love and rekindles his affections. The two have a merry day out together after that and reblossom their marrage. A screenplay that might seem tepid and corny today really works in the silent era style and Sunrise is one of the best.

• Brandon K

  
  I liked the beginning and the end, but I don't think the extremely long love fest was needed in the middle. I would've liked to see more of the city girl, too.

• Lauren D

  
  I don't really like most silent movies purely because it seems wrong to not have dialogue. This film worked fine without the dialogue and I didn't even really notice it was silent.<br/><br/>I quite liked the story even though I hate romance. The ending was quite… More
  I don't really like most silent movies purely because it seems wrong to not have dialogue. This film worked fine without the dialogue and I didn't even really notice it was silent.<br/><br/>I quite liked the story even though I hate romance. The ending was quite satisfactory too. My only complaint is the woman who played is wife because her face annoyed me. Yeah, shallow I know. But she looked like she was 12, and it was weird looking.

• Simeon D

  
  Not the greatest silent film out there but if you're a fan of the genre than it is sure to please. Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien shine, the blunt narrative style (for example naming the characters "The Wife", "The Husband", and "The Woman From The… More
  Not the greatest silent film out there but if you're a fan of the genre than it is sure to please. Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien shine, the blunt narrative style (for example naming the characters "The Wife", "The Husband", and "The Woman From The City", or vaguely explaining where or when this actually takes place) enhances the visual poetry and dramatic tension, and naturally it was a little boring. Sunrise is one of those films that makes you think and enjoy it more afterwards. Should this have won Best Picture: In 1927 at the first Academy Awards there were three categories for Best Picture: Most Outstanding Production, Best Comedy, and the one that Sunrise won which is Best Artistic Production. I agree with it winning Best Artistic Production because it had great cinematography for its time, but as a Best Picture winner something like Wings seems more fitting. 97/100

• Marion R

  
  I found it to be unrealistic. A husband attempts to kill his wife and manages to gain her forgiveness, then he thinks that his wife has dies and is filled with guilt, but she turns out to be alive, all in the span of a day. It felt like there were two different films the first one… More
  I found it to be unrealistic. A husband attempts to kill his wife and manages to gain her forgiveness, then he thinks that his wife has dies and is filled with guilt, but she turns out to be alive, all in the span of a day. It felt like there were two different films the first one taking place at the beginning and the end was about a man who is cheating on his wife. The second film took place is the middle I call it "Country Bumpkins In The City". I also found it Gaynor's character unbelievable such a fucking stereotypical "pure" bride. Having said that i did enjoy the special effects such as the overlapping of film.

• Ivan D

  
  The best silent film I have seen, tied maybe with "The Passion of Joan of Arc". It is a simple story of a man, his wife, and a woman from the city. With these characters, F.W. Murnau has molded an expressionistic masterpiece about love lost, and how it can be regained in… More
  The best silent film I have seen, tied maybe with "The Passion of Joan of Arc". It is a simple story of a man, his wife, and a woman from the city. With these characters, F.W. Murnau has molded an expressionistic masterpiece about love lost, and how it can be regained in ways very unexpected. There were countless beautiful shots, particularly the ambitious tracking shot towards the carnival. As the camera glides with gentle, but yet magical movement(The father of the creator of the Steadicam maybe was just only a baby at the time), we see people in an orderly line, side by side, then we see the grand carnival unveil through our eyes, it is a moment of cinematic magic, yet many people today totally ignores these kinds of things a film is made of. The performances doesn't even have sounds, yet their powerfully sublime actions spoke for their characters, actions so effective, that I even do not bother about the title cards anymore. There are so many grand things to tell about this amazing film, but I rest my case, with two thumbs up...

• Lord N

  
  My review of Wings transfers over here. the only thing I would have to add is that this one bored me a little more. the visual effects were better than the effects of Wings especially for the era (which is why it won best Visual film). Despite the fact that this bored me I can still… More
  My review of Wings transfers over here. the only thing I would have to add is that this one bored me a little more. the visual effects were better than the effects of Wings especially for the era (which is why it won best Visual film). Despite the fact that this bored me I can still appreciate it. Final verdict: it was nominated for Best Artistic production (the only year that this category was available). for 1927 it certainly had groundbreaking visuals. I say yes.

• MJS M

  
  F.W. Murnau?s Sunrise has been called one of the most important silent films of all time, but it?s also rather hard to find because Fox refuses to release it outside of an elaborate boxed set for some reason. Luckily I was able to find it airing on Turner Classic Movies and tivoed… More
  F.W. Murnau?s Sunrise has been called one of the most important silent films of all time, but it?s also rather hard to find because Fox refuses to release it outside of an elaborate boxed set for some reason. Luckily I was able to find it airing on Turner Classic Movies and tivoed it, I?ve been waiting for just the right occasion to watch it. F.W. Murnau was a German director who pioneered the art of German Expressionism with movies like Nosferatu (the first vampire film), Faust, and The Last Laugh. Sunrise was his first American film, and it turned out to be his last great work as he died a few years later in a car accident. Still, one wonders where he could have gone from here, as this truly is a classic worthy of its reputation. I can?t comment to credibly on the substance of Sunrise, because I was way to busy focusing on the style to concern myself with the film?s plot, that?s something I?ll worry about on future viewings. For now I?ll just marvel at the film?s beautiful images and amazing technical achievements. The first thing I notice is the film?s special effects, I have no idea how they pulled some of this stuff off with the technology of the time. There?s one brilliant shot where a couple walk into traffic and the setting transforms into countryside. I?m pretty sure this was accomplished with some sort of rear projection, but it?s quite elaborate either way. Another great shot involved a man sitting in place as a ghostly set of hand embrace him, I don?t know how they did it, but it looks damn cool. There are other influential tricks here, like an early sequence where a character says something and it cuts to what they were thinking about. That may not seem to impressive today, but that must have been revolutionary at the time, I?m not certain, but that?s the earliest use of that trick I know of and the idea would go unused for decades before it was rediscovered an became a staple of television comedy. It?s also interesting that all these expensive effects were used for what is basically an intimate character study, now there seems to be an unwritten rule that movies about people talking need to take place in one room and rarely have a moving camera. If I have any complaint about the film, it?s that it seems a little bit front-loaded. A lot of the great effects and visual tricks are used in the first act and the style seems to settle down for the rest of the movie. That might have been an appropriate choice, but I can?t help but wonder what else Murnau may have dreamed up if the whole movie was as innovative as the first 40-50 minutes.

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