The Last Sunset (Universal Pictures) (1961)

BRYNAPROD S. A. Presents ROCK HUDSON KIRK DOUGLAS in “THE LAST SUNSET” In Eastman Color Co-starring DOROTHY MALONE JOSEPH COTTEN CAROL LYNLEY NEVILLE BRAND with REGIS TOOMEY RAD FULTON ADAM WILLIAMS JACK ELAM JOHN SHAY Produced by EUGENE FRENKE and EDWARD LEWIS Directed by ROBERT ALDRICH Screenplay by DALTON TRUMBO From the Novel “SUNDOWN AT CRAZY HORSE” by HOWARD RIGSBY Music by ERNEST GOLD A Universal-International Release the east Dana Stribling... ROCK HUDSON Brendan O’ Malley KIRK DOUGLAS Belle Breckenridge DOROTHY MALONE John Breckenridge JOSEPH COTTEN Missy Breckenridge CAROL LYNLEY Frank Hobbs...NEVILLE BRAND Milton Wing......REGIS TOOMEY Julesburg Kid.....--RAD FULTON Bowman......-.-. ADAM WILLIAMS RdZHobbs JACK ELAM Calverton.......-.--------JOHN SHAY Vosezee MARGARITO DE LUNA Rosaries 2 JOSE TORVAY Chihuahua .......-.----CHIHUAHUA the staff Director of photography, Ernest Laszlo, A.S.C.; unit production manager, Joseph Behm; art direction, Alexander Golitzen and Al Sweeney; set decorations, Oliver Emert; supervising film editor, Edward Mann, A.C.E.; sound, Waldon O. Watson and Donald Cunliffe; music composed by Ernest Gold and conducted by Joseph Gershenson; song, “Pretty Little Girl in the Yellow Dress,” by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington; men’s-ladies’ costumes by Norma Koch; make-up, Bud Westmore ; hair stylist, Larry Germain; assistant director, Thomas J. Connors, Jr. the story (Not for Publication) Equally as foreboding as the dangers facing a cattle drive from Aguascalientes, Mexico, to the Texas border are the people banded together to conduct the difficult trek—rancher John Breckenridge (JOSEPH COTTEN), a drunk and a coward; his wife, Belle (DOROTHY MALONE), who no longer loves him; their daughter, Missy (CAROL LYNLEY), a teen-ager with adult ideas about love; O’Malley (KIRK DOUGLAS), a gunslinger hiding from a murder charge; and Stribling (ROCK HUDSON), a trail boss dedicated to luring O’Malley to the U. S. and a hangman’s noose. O’Malley is obviously after Belle, a former sweetheart of his. Stribling only wants O’Malley in Texas where the warrant is valid. Their showdown is definite the minute the cattle ford the Rio Grande. But in the struggle along the trail in the face of violent storms and threatening Indian raids, things change. After Breckenridge is killed in the saloon of a Mexican pueblo, Stribling’s affection for Belle grows, while O’Malley finds it harder to avoid the amorous attentions of little Missy Emotions ignite a fight stopped by Belle at gunpoint. Later, the two adversaries unite to stop three bushwhackers, | THELAST SUNSET (2h) Rock Hudson, Dorothy Malone, Kirk Douglas and Carol Lynley form a magnificent quartet of stars in ‘The Last Sunset,” Brynaprod’s powerful action drama of conflict and passion filmed in color for release by Universal. Also starred are Joseph Cotten and Neville Brand. (Still 1899-214D) Globe-Circling Rock Hudson Continues To Star In Films Of Faraway Location Sites (Advance) Having already worn out two full sets of luggage with his globe-encircling chores as the number one boxoffice star of the screen, Rock Hudson is well on his way to exhausting a third set. In his last six films the ace Universal-International star has made all but one on locations outside of Hollywood. ‘Tt doesn’t bother me,” says Rock. “I’m one guy who loves to travel.” His latest jaunt took him to Mexico for eleven weeks to costar with Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand in “The Last Sunset,’ powerful action drama of conflict and passion filmed by Brynaprod for Universal-International release and scheduled to open soon at the Before that, he was in Africa for “Something of Value;” Italy for ‘A Farewell to Arms;” Hawaii for “Twilight for the Gods;” and Northern California for ‘This Earth Is Mine.’’ Only the great comedy hit, ‘Pillow Talk,” with Doris Day found Hudson in front of Hollywood’s cameras. The completion of ‘The Last Sunset” gave the new king of the movies only enough time to pick up a supply of clean shirts before taking off for Italy to co-star with Gina Lollobrigida in ‘““Come September,” the first film for his own company which will be released by Universal-International. Rock soon will journey to the Malayan Peninsula to star in “The Spiral Road.” DEBUT FOR MOM The mother of Hollywood’s newest teen-aged screen star turned actress, herself, to make her movie bow in Brynaprod’s Universal release, ‘““The Last Sunset,” now on the screen of the................ Theater. Mrs. Frances Orlando, mother of 18-year-old Carol Lynley, made her debut on location near Aguascalientes, Mexico, portraying a Texas housewife. Frank Hobbs (NEVILLE BRAND), Ed Hobbs (JACK ELAM) and the Julesburg Kid (RAD FULTON) from abducting the two women for the price they’ll bring at a whiteslave market. Finally, a fiesta the night before the herd is to be taken across the Rio Grande settles several issues prior to the showdown between Stribling and O’Malley in a sundown gunfight at Crazy Horse, Texas. Stribling’s declared love for Belle is answered with a kiss. O’Malley appears to have succumbed to teen-ager Missy’s ardent wooing. Out of this meshing of emotion comes the showdown. The sun settles on the horizon of Crazy Horse and two men go out to meet headon in a clash that concludes in a strange story twist to be revealed only to those who will see the motion picture. “THE LAST SUNSET" ([-A] Rock Hudson, reigning king of the movie boxoffice, plays a trail boss in search of a killer in Brynaprod’s color production for Universal release, ‘“The Last Sunset,”’ a powerful action drama of conflict and passion that also stars Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand. (Still 1899-1AD) Movies Shock Natives With Screwball Plans (Current) Residents of Aguascalientes, Mexico, got a good idea of the weird machinations of a Hollywood motion picture company recently. For the first time in screen history, Brynaprod sent a location crew to Aguascalientes for filming of its Universal release, “The Last Sunset,” starring Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand. The rugged settings of cactus-covered plateaus were exactly what the color production needed. But when Aguascalientes citizens watched the moviemakers unpack their wares, they were startled to find that among the huge crates were several containing—cactus brought from Hollywood! “T know it looks silly,’ commented director Robert Aldrich, ‘but everybody knows that no self-respecting director dares rely on nature alone. Besides, our actors prefer Hollywood cactus—it doesn’t stick.” The powerful action drama of conflict and passion, co-produced by Eugene Frenke and Edward Lewis from a novel by Howard Rigsby, is now showing at the See Reh tanaka Theater. Powerful Action Drama Stars Rock, Kirk In Unusual Story Of Raw Conflict and Passion (Review) Certain to rank among the great outdoor adventure dramas ever to emerge on the screen is Brynaprod’s outstanding entertainment package for Universal release, “The Last Sunset,” which made an auspicious debut.___.--.........-.-........ at the Rarely has a movie audience been accorded such a fine all-star cast—Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand —in a tale of the Early West that embodies more modern, sophisticated nuances than most screen fare offers today, regardless of period or setting. In “The Last Sunset,’ romance is frank and explosive, while its wild, unruly action is multiplied by the fury of storms, cattle stampedes and treachery. The weird twist to the story ending is so startling that Universal wisely has asked viewers and reviewers to keep secret its fascinating finale. No more perfect screen rivalry can top the virile pairing of Rock Hudson, a relentless man seeking revenge, and Kirk Douglas, a human stick of dynamite ready to explode at any moment. Dorothy Malone, as the pulsating prize for which the two men struggle, gives eye-filling stature to her portrayal of a woman strong in everything but affairs of the heart. Joseph Cotten literally shocks those who know him as a romantic screen hero with his deft characterization of a whiskeysodden, cowardly failure. Teenager Carol Lynley is delightful in a role best described as “Lolita with lariats.”’ Neville Brand pours his best villainy into a sinister role, and equally impressive is a strong supporting roster, including Regis Toomey, Rad Fulton, Adam Williams, Jack Elam and John Shay. In paying homage to the stars of “The Last Sunset,’ one must not overlook the setting, itself. Co-producers Eugene Frenke and Edward Lewis showed wisdom in backgrounding their hard-hitting story against the virginal plateaus and wastelands near Aguascalientes, Mexico, an area that had never before faced a movie camera. Photographed spectacularly in color by Ernest Laszlo, A.S.C., the scenery continuously steals scenes with its rugged grandeur, Director Robert Aldrich’s deft handling of a driving drama told in forceful style also lends stature to “The Last Sunset” as it tells of a cattle drive from Mexico to the Texas border, a vigorous prologue of action and suspense that leads to the inevitable showdown between strong men of opposing principles. But “The Last Sunset” is far more than just a virile drama. It is light as a feather in its comedy moments and its music, topped by a Ned WashingtonDimitri Tiomkin tune, ‘‘Pretty Little Girl in the Yellow Dress,” a sure candidate for future hit parade honors. The superb music score by Ernest Gold is a treat to the ear. The love story woven into the drama shimmers with emotion and appeal. “The Last Sunset,” above all else, is great entertainment — thrills for lovers of action, chills for fans of suspense, quivers for those who prefer romance—a superb melding of every element that spells audience enjoyment in its finest, most perfect form. Kirk Douglas Stampedes Code Of West In Offbeat Role As New-Style Cowboy Gunslinger (Advance) Cowboy heroes who ride the CinemaScope trail into Technicolor sunsets probably aren’t too happy about it — but they’re sharing the sagebrush with a new-type western gun slinger. Kirk Douglas is the ornery galoot who’s stampeding the movie code of the West in “The Last Sunset,” powerful action drama of conflict and passion in which Kirk and Rock Hudson head an all-star cast. The Brynaprod production for Universal reLEASES (OPCW 2 ssete. teeta oes ale ene All of the corral commandments aren’t being broken, however. Kirk still rides a fast horse, brands a mean heifer, draws a quick gun and sleeps with his saddle for a pillow. It’s what he does in between that shakes up the sagebrush set. For instance: (1) After evening chow he ambles into the kitchen and happily does the dishes; (2) To a cutie in calico he mesmerizes her (not with that strongsilent treatment) with poetry about ocean waves and sea horses; (3) When the music strikes up he turns into a Texas-type Terpsichore, dancing the dolls into ecstacy; (4) When the herd gets restless, he merely leans on the pommel and gives ’em the Como touch with a song or two. “Cowboys on the screen today can’t get away with those standard cliches of the west,” explained Eugene Frenke, who co-produced “The Last Sunset” with Edward Lewis. ‘“They’ve got to be different. Horse-kissing is definitely out. The love scenes in our motion picture will turn Paris green with envy.” Filming of this off-beat action story took place in Mexico, with outdoor scenes at Aguascalientes and interior sequences at Churubusco Studios in Mexico City. Kirk Douglas is seen as a_ psychotic gunslinger in “‘The Last Sunset,” powerful action drama of conflict and passion in which he stars with Rock Hudson, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand. The Brynaprod color production is being released by Universal. (Still 1899-4AD ) KIRK CHIRPS A new Dimitri Tiomkin-Ned Washington tune, ‘‘Pretty Little Girl in the Yellow Dress,” is sung by a “new” crooner, Kirk Douglas, in “The Last Sunset,’ Brynaprod film for release by Universal, NO Ws Dl ayAn Seat Gea c: can seer eee ee Theater. It’s the second time Kirk has ever warbled in a movie. Page 3