The Last Sunset

1961 "When giants clash, a woman trembles!"
6.7| 1h52m| NR| en
Details

Brendan O'Malley arrives at the Mexican home of old flame Belle Breckenridge to find her married to a drunkard getting ready for a cattle drive to Texas. Hot on O'Malley's heels is lawman Dana Stribling who has a personal reason for getting him back into his jurisdiction. Both men join Breckenridge and his wife on the drive. As they near Texas tensions mount, not least because Stribling is starting to court Belle, and O'Malley is increasingly drawn by her daughter Missy.

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Universal International Pictures

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Reviews

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.
MoPoshy Absolutely brilliant
Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Josephina Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
HotToastyRag You might know by now that I'm not the biggest western fan. I picked up The Last Sunset for the cast, expecting to groan at the end and complain about my wasted time. What I mistakenly judged to be a boring western turned out to be a very touching, well-acted drama! It just happened to take place in the land of cowboys and horses.Kirk Douglas comes back into the life of old-flame Dorothy Malone, but it's been nearly twenty years since they've seen each other and she's moved on. She's married to Joseph Cotton and has a daughter, Carol Lynley, but the sparks still fly between her and her old beau. Rock Hudson shows up and lines up for Dorothy's attention-and that's just the beginning!So often in love triangles, there are clear good and bad guys, and the characters are one-dimensional, so the audience can mentally check out and blindly root for the man in the white hat. Dalton Trumbo's script, based off of Howard Rigsby's novel, features wonderfully three-dimensional characters, each with strengths and weaknesses so the audience understands why Dorothy Malone can't make up her mind. It's a truly riveting story, sure to capture even more of your emotions when Carol Lynley enters the romantic arena. She and Kirk Douglas share a very different romance from Dorothy and Kirk; it's sweet, pure, and truly lovely, but is it sustainable? He's seen so much more of the world, and their scenes together are very moving. While everyone in the film gives great performances, Carol and Kirk steal the show. She's so incredibly sweet, and his unspoken emotions radiate off the screen. You might not find yourself reaching for your Kleenexes, but I certainly did! I won't spoil anything, but the last few scenes have stayed with me long after I watched them. I wish I could elaborate on how wonderful Kirk Douglas's performance is, but that would involve major spoilers. Just rent it; you'll be in for a real treat.If you like your romances heavy with drama, or you like the idea of having to choose between Kirk Douglas and Rock Hudson, or if you've ever seen beyond forever in someone's eyes, rent The Last Sunset! And if you invite me over for a movie night, I'll bring the tissues.
atlasmb Kirk Douglas travels to Mexico on horseback to locate the woman he loved years ago. But a lawman (Rock Hudson) is on his trail, vowing to bring him back to Texas for hanging. Dorothy Malone plays the woman who is central to the story. Her husband, Joseph Cotton, plans to drive his cattle to Texas for sale, but he needs some cowhands. As a result, Douglas and Hudson become unlikely trailmates.Along the perilous journey, there are revelations, demonstrations of bravery, and conflict resolution. The plot is clever and it contains some surprises. "The Last Sunset" is directed by Robert Aldrich--a talented director, for sure. But the excellent script is the product of Dalton Trumbo, adapting from a novel.Though it contains the trappings of many western, this film goes beyond the usual caricatures. It is a rich story about complex characters.
SnoopyStyle Brendan O'Malley (Kirk Douglas) arrives at a small Mexican ranch owned by John Breckenridge (Joseph Cotten) ready to work a cattle drive to Texas. Brendan's actual goal is to get back his former love John's wife Belle (Dorothy Malone). Belle and John have 15 year old daughter Missy (Carol Lynley). Sheriff Dana Stribling (Rock Hudson) has a warrant for Brendan's arrest from Texas for his brother-in-law's murder. He joins the cattle drive intent on arresting him upon crossing the Rio Grande.There are lots of crazy stuff going on in this movie. Kirk Douglas is choking out a dog with his bare hands. There is Carol Lynley with her puppy love that is awkward with possible incest. It's not something hidden and seems obvious with that possibility from the very start. Brendan should do better arithmetic. I'm fine with all the cowboy soaps but the Greek tragedy incest bothered me a bit too much.
spiritof67 A great movie, and a Dalton Trumbo script to boot. Hey, how'd that happen? Famed Commie lover DT gets real screen credit? Maybe that's why nobody's seen this film. The sets, settings, cinematography and acting are first-rate. This may even be the first of Joseph Cotten's long run of disreputable former Confederate officer (or is that redundant?) roles. Starring Kirk Douglas, the best action adventure actor in the history of Hollywood, Rock Hudson, one of Hollywood's greatest actors (he made you believe he was a macho hetero man, didn't he?), Dorothy Malone, perhaps not the best built but undeniably one of its most super hot and sexiest actresses and Carol Lynley, one of Hollywoods best but terribly underrated actresses, this film is a treat. Plot twists; personality realignments; changing loyalties; unexpected (and quite adult) plot changes; and an ending you can't see coming until the end.Add this to some cinematography that is totally wasted on a TV screen and really demands a VistaVision screen, and you've got a real Western.The opening scene includes a vista shot that CAN NOT be properly appreciated on a TV screen, be warned.I don't know why this film is so sparely known - but as a Western movie enthusiast, I didn't see it until 2008 myself. It is QUITE a movie - see it!