Duel in the Sun (1946)

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  • DUEL IN THE SUN


    DIRECTED BY KING VIDOR
    PRODUCED AND WRITTEN BY DAVID O. SELZNICK
    ORIGINAL MUSIC BY DIMITRI TIOMKIN
    SELZNICK STUDIO/ VANGUARD FILMS



    Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas


    Information From IMDb


    Plot Summary
    When her father is hanged for shooting his wife and her lover, half-breed Pearl Chavez
    goes to live with distant relatives in Texas. Welcomed by Laura Belle
    and her elder lawyer son Jesse, she meets with hostility from the ranch-owner himself,
    wheelchair-bound Senator Jackson McCanles, and with lustful interest
    from womanising, unruly younger son Lewt. Almost at once, already existing
    family tensions are exacerbated by her presence and the way
    she is physically drawn to Lewt.
    Written by Jeremy Perkins


    Full Cast
    Jennifer Jones ... Pearl Chavez
    Joseph Cotten ... Jesse McCanles
    Gregory Peck ... Lewton 'Lewt' McCanles
    Lionel Barrymore ... Sen. Jackson McCanles
    Herbert Marshall ... Scott Chavez
    Lillian Gish ... Laura Belle McCanles
    Walter Huston ... The Sinkiller
    Charles Bickford ... Sam Pierce
    Harry Carey ... Lem Smoot
    Joan Tetzel ... Helen Langford
    Tilly Losch ... Mrs. Chavez
    Butterfly McQueen ... Vashti
    Scott McKay ... Sid
    Otto Kruger ... Mr. Langford
    Sidney Blackmer ... The Lover
    Charles Dingle ... Sheriff Hardy
    Griff Barnett ... The Bordertown Jailer (uncredited)
    Hank Bell ... McCanles Ranch Hand (uncredited)
    Johnny Bond ... Cowhand at Barbecue (uncredited)
    Lane Chandler ... Fence-Line Cavalry Captain (uncredited)
    Tex Cooper ... Square Dancer (uncredited)
    Frank Cordell ... Sid (uncredited)
    Tom Dillon ... Train Engineer (uncredited)
    Steve Dunhill ... Jake (uncredited)
    Si Jenks ... Dance-Floor Cowboy (uncredited)
    Victor Kilian ... Gambler (uncredited)
    Kermit Maynard ... Barfly (uncredited)
    Francis McDonald ... Gambler (uncredited)
    Robert McKenzie ... Bartender Zeke (uncredited)
    Lee Phelps ... Train Fireman (uncredited)
    Rose Plumer ... Dancer (uncredited)
    Bert Roach ... Barbecue Guest (uncredited)
    Lloyd Shaw ... Barbecue Dance Caller (uncredited)
    Al Taylor ... Cowboy at Barbecue (uncredited)
    Orson Welles ... Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
    Dan White ... Ed, the Wrangler (uncredited)
    Guy Wilkerson ... Dance-Floor Cowboy (uncredited)
    Hank Worden ... Dance- Floor Cowboy (uncredited)


    Directed
    King Vidor
    Otto Brower (uncredited)
    William Dieterle (uncredited)
    Sidney Franklin (uncredited)
    William Cameron Menzies (uncredited)
    David O. Selznick (uncredited)
    Josef von Sternberg (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    David O. Selznick (screenplay by the producer)
    Niven Busch (suggested by a novel by)
    Oliver H.P. Garrett (adaptation)
    Ben Hecht uncredited


    Cinematography
    Lee Garmes (director of photography)
    Ray Rennahan (director of photography)
    Harold Rosson (director of photography) (as Hal Rosson)


    Trivia
    Jennifer Jones scraped and cut herself quite badly during the scene where she crawls over the rocks and dirt.


    The film was nicknamed "Lust in the Dust", which would later serve as the inspiration for the film Lust in the Dust (1985).


    The role of Pearl was originally written for Teresa Wright, as a departure from her girl-next-door image. However, pregnancy forced her to drop out.


    David O. Selznick reportedly spent $2,000,000.00, an unheard of sum in 1946, on the promotion of this film.


    David O. Selznick had originally intended this property as his artistic follow-up to Gone with the Wind (1939). He envisioned a lavish production with no expense spared, and ultimately he got his wish. Constant production delays, many caused by Selznick's meddling and the hiring and firing of as many as seven directors (including Selznick himself), as well as an extended editing period to cut the film from its original 26-hour running time, caused the budget to balloon to a then-horrifying sum of $6 million, plus an additional $2 million in marketing costs. Though the film eventually did turn a profit, it effectively marked the end of Sleznick's career. However, he went on to produce prestige films such as The Paradine Case (1947), Portrait of Jennie (1948), The Third Man (1949) and A Farewell to Arms (1957).


    This film's musical score was the subject of a famous soundstage exchange between producer David O. Selznick and composer Dimitri Tiomkin. When Selznick first heard Tiomkin's "love theme", he was visibly disappointed and admonished the composer, "You don't understand. I want real f**king music!" To which Tiomkin angrily replied, "You f**k your way, I f**k my way. F**k you - I quit!" Their differences were eventually patched up, and Tiomkin's music was used in the final film.


    This film is listed among The 100 Most Amusingly Bad Movies Ever Made in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's book THE OFFICIAL RAZZIE® MOVIE GUIDE.


    Film debut of Joan Tetzel.


    The British writing-directing team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were shown a pre-release screening of the film by producer David O. Selznick. Both were thoroughly unimpressed with the mo0vie, but didn't want to offend Selznick by saying so. At the end of the film, when Gregory Peck and Jennifer Jones are crawling towards each other on a mountain and when they get near each other they both open fire, Pressburger turned to Powell and whispered, "What a pity they didn't shoot the screenwriter".


    Goof
    Factual errors: When the Cavalry rides off after intimidating McCanles from attacking the railroad because as the Senator says "I fought to defend that flag (the Stars and Stripes)", the music played is "Bonnie Blue Flag", which was an anthem of the Confederacy.


    Memorable Quotes


    Filming Locations
    Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA
    Cochise County, Arizona, USA
    Corriganville, Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA
    Dragoon Mountains, Arizona, USA
    Dragoon, Arizona, USA (near)
    Lasky Mesa, West Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
    Route 99 of the Fresno-Bakersfield Highway, California, USA
    Selznick International Studios - 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    Sierra Railroad, Jamestown, California, USA
    Simi Valley, California, USA
    Texas Canyon, Arizona, USA
    Triangle T Guest Ranch - 4190 Dragoon Road, Dragoon, Arizona, USA
    Tucson, Arizona, USA
    Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tumacacori, Arizona, USA
    West Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
    Yuma, Arizona, USA

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited once, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Duel in the Sun is a 1946 Technicolor epic Western film directed by King Vidor,
    produced and written by David O. Selznick, which tells the story of a
    Mestiza (half-Native American) girl who goes to live with her Caucasian relatives,
    becoming involved in prejudice and forbidden love.
    The movie stars Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Gregory Peck, Lillian Gish, and Lionel Barrymore.


    David O. Selznick spent $2million dollars promoting this movie,
    (an unprecedented amount in those days,) as a follow up
    to his Gone With The Wind.
    The film was heavily panned by critics,
    because of it's risque content.
    It however went on to be a huge box office hit,
    but didn't turn in a profit.



    The wonderful score by Dimitri Tiomkin ( even though criticized
    by Selznick) became the very first recorded album of a film score



    User Review
    by allanm051

    Quote

    This movie is like a painting by an old master that hangs in a museum--we may not be moved by it, but we can still appreciate the artistry. Its most notable feature is the director, King Vidor, master of silent film making. As you might expect, many of the important scenes have little or no dialog. In one scene between Lionel Barrymore and Lillian Gish, he rambles on about their life together, while she strains to get out of her sickbed and crosses slowly to him, the entire distance transfigured by the depth of her love for him. Gish was a great star of silent film, with a wonderful, expressive face, full of compassion and grace. In another scene that happens under quite different circumstances, Jennifer Jones crawls to Gregory Peck, the man she loves, also without words, evincing great sorrow and quiet dignity. In both cases, the women prove they are far more noble than the men who love them so badly. Jones also has a mobile face, together with a beautiful, resonant voice. No film that has these two ladies at its center should be missed. In addition, the film has two marvelous scenes that, at the time of its making, would have been just as impressive as some of today's special effects wonders: In the first, about 20 armed horsemen face a crowd of railway workers, including some chinese, clothed in authentic period dress, with a steam engine in the background. As the tensions mount, a troop of mounted cavalry, about 100 strong, ride onto the set, filmed on location (judging by the saguarros and ocatillos) in Arizona. This was a tour de force of filmmaking at a time when shooting on location was rare. In the second scene, a train under a full head of steam jumps the tracks and plows down an embankment. Filmed in early technicolor, this movie has lush exteriors and panoramas of rich desert color. Two more character actors should be mentioned, both of whom steal every scene they enter: Butterfly McQueen, the maid whose comments are both simple and profound, and Walter Huston, as the crusty sheriff who doubles as a preacher during a funeral

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited once, last by ethanedwards ().

  • i also saw duel in the sun once when i was 15.i didnt like it and have'nt seen it since.i do have it in my dvd collection i just can't get my self so watch it.

  • It's more of an overwrought melodrama than a traditional western. If you liked Gone With the Wind, you'll like it (same producer, and even some of the same actors).


    Quote

    "I am not intoxicated - yet." McLintock!

  • Duel in the Sun.
    Epic in every aspect of the word, OTT 'acting' by Jennifer Jones, but such a majestic sweep you can kind of look past that. Joseph Cotten on form as usual and Gregory Peck was solid. Great for a Sunday afternoon.

    "Pour yourself some backbone and shut up!"

  • Hi there Dooley,


    Never heard of that movie. But, with what you have written about it, I have put it on my list. Thanks for telling us something about it!


    Keith

    God, she reminds me of me! DUKE

  • Hi there Dooley,


    Never heard of that movie. But, with what you have written about it, I have put it on my list. Thanks for telling us something about it!


    Keith


    Jeez! It was the film Selznick made after Gone with the Wind!
    Totally over-the-top but very enjoyable.

    "Pour yourself some backbone and shut up!"

  • Will have to view this one again. Saw it decades ago (how sad is that) and basically recall that Jennifer was drop dead gorgeous, Bickford was enough of a ham to require cloves and honey basting, and that most of the cast wore hats that reminded me of Snoopy's inverted dog dish.
    The stills, however, are fantastic.



    We deal in lead, friend.