The Last Sunset (Universal Pictures) (1961)

| Dorothy Malone Checks Up On Real-Life Outdoor Heroines, Decides to Use Own Approach (Advance) When Academy Award-winning actress Dorothy Malone first learned that she was to co-star with Rock Hudson and Kirk Douglas in “The Last Sunset,” powerful action drama of conflict and passion, she studied up on some of the truelife damsels of the Gold Rush era in an effort to add realism to her portrayal. “The things I learned about those women were about as piquant and romantic as a broken axle,’ Dorothy admits. “If the movies were to depict them as they really were, theaters would have to be built in dark basements behind steel doors.”’ For obvious reasons, nothing in Miss Malone’s performance in this based on real heroines of the western past. What Dorothy learned has no place on a movie screen. Take Belle Starr, for example. Heralded as Queen of the Bandits, she never held up a bank nor robbed a stagecoach. She was actually homely, sported the jaw of a prizefighter, made her way with petty thievery and blackmail. Doc Holliday’s girl, Big Nose Kate, was husky enough to play tackle for the Chicago Bears. Madame Simone Jules, alias Eleanore Dumont, was best known as Madame Mustache for obvious reasons. Poker Alice had two claims to fame—she won a halfmillion dollars in a poker game, and she always smoked cigars. Calamity Jane, too homely to hold a job as a gambling house girl, usually dressed as a man and looked like one. “Pioneer women were rarely beautiful,’ Dorothy points out. “Tf they were, the rugged life they led soon destroyed their Former Academy Award winner Dorothy Malone portrays a woman strong in everything but affairs of the heart in “The Last Sunset,”’ powerful action drama of conflict and passion that also stars Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand. Universal is releasing the Brynaprod color production. (Still 1899-12AD) beauty. Taking a bath was a rare experience and lovely clothes just weren't practical for their rugged surroundings. “If I fashioned my performance in ‘The Last Sunset” after one of these western women, neither Rock nor Kirk would give me a second look.”’ "THE LAST SUNSET” Kirk Douglas gets a kick out of Rock Hudson’s harping with Mexican mariachis during south-of-the-border filming of “The Last Sunset,” powerful action drama of conflict and passion produced in color by Brynaprod for Universal release. Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand also star. Douglas Arrives With Golf Clubs, Mexicans Build Course For Him (Advance) Film star Kirk Douglas got a good taste of what Mexican hospitality means when he arrived in Aguascalientes, Mexico, to start his co-starring role with Rock Hudson in location scenes for ‘“The Last Sunset.” With no knowledge of Aguascalientes’ recreational facilities, Kirk toted along his golf clubs, hoping to play a few rounds during time off from his acting chores. The day following his arrival, Kirk noted a large crew of Mexican workmen busily engaged in the field adjacent to the hacienda where he was quartered. “Planting potatoes?” Kirk asked one of his English-speaking servants. “No, senor Douglas,’ came the answer. ‘‘They are making you a golf course. Only three holes— but better *han none.” “The Las: Sunset,” a powerful action drama of conflict and passion filmed in color entirely in Miexi Co, OPENS ie-tseh feast. 2. cseet at the (Still 1899-P2) Mexico Film Location Becomes ‘ Shangri-La” For Early West Drama (Advance) A common movie problem, avoiding 20th century backgrounds while filming a 19th century film story, proved no difficulty for Director Robert Aldrich during filming of ‘“‘The Last Sunset” on location in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Not one jet vapor trail marred the sky while he filmed scenes with co-stars Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand for the powerful action color drama of conflict and passion that Openseses se eas at the a Wig Aero OM Theater. There were no telephone poles nor wires within 25 miles of location sites, nor were there gleaming paved highways to hurt the backgrounds. The only airplane to disturb shooting was a single-engined Beechcraft that came over at 3 o’clock each Thursday, carrying the payroll to a Mexican gold and silver mine. “The Last Sunset” was the first Hollywood motion picture ever to be filmed in the spectacular settings of the central Mexico state. Lana Ain't Turner Dorothy Malone, on location in central Mexico to co-star with Rock Hudson and Kirk Douglas in Brynaprod’s ‘The Last Sunset,” did a double-take on her first Aguascalientes, Mexico, shopping excursion when she looked in a window featuring women’s sweaters and read: “100% LANA.” Turned out they weren’t talking about Lana Turner at all. “Lana” is the Spanish word for wool. “The Last Sunset,” a powerful action color drama of con Teen-Agers Are Same World Over, Insists Top Star Rock Hudson (Current) Rock Hudson found out recently that teen-aged movie fans are the same the world over. More than 300 screaming youngsters were on hand when Rock stepped off a plane in Mexico City to report for his co-starring role with Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand in ‘‘The Last Sunset,” a powerful action drama of conflict and passion filmed in color entirely in Mexico. So violent was Rock’s reception, in fact, that he was forced to beat a hasty retreat back through customs in order to sneak into a studio limousine and escape the frantic clutches of the excited young movie fans. At Mexico City’s sedate Bamer Hotel, where Rock remained overnight before continuing his trip to ‘The Last Sunset” location 400 miles north at Aguascalientes, the usually quiet lobby was jammed continually with teen-agers hoping to get a close-up look at their screen idol. Hotel employees were forced to form a human chain in order to get Hudson from the hotel elevator to his car when he checked out to continue his journey. “TI don’t think all of those precautions were necessary,” said 6foot-4 Rock, who has been running the gamut of teen-aged idolatry for many years. “They seemed very well-behaved to me.” “The Last Sunset,’ which is now on the screen of the.................. Theater, is a Universal release directed by Robert Aldrich and coproduced by Eugene Frenke and Edward Lewis for the Brynaprod company. romantic portrayals to essay his first all-out character role in “The ‘Last Sunset,’’ powerful action drama of conflict and passion that also. stars Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand. Universal is releasing this fine Brynaprod color production. (Still 1899-23AD) Kirk Douglas Learned Spanish In One Month (Advance) Add to the many accomplishments of Kirk Douglas the amazing ability to learn a new language in a single month. Within four weeks after Kirk arrived in Aguascalientes, Mexico, to star with Rock Hudson, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand in “The Last Sunset,” a Brynaprod film for Universal release, Kirk was conversing in Spanish with the Mexican members of his movie crew and the townspeople of Aguascalientes. Teen-Age Star Carol Lynley Delights In Opportunity To Enact ‘Lolita With Lariats” (Advance) The most provocative film role ever handed a teen-aged actress has placed a grin that wide on the pretty face of blonde Carol Lynley. “T love it,” says the 18-year-old beauty whom Hollywood lured away from the Broadway stage. “It’s like living in another world.” Carol’s good fortune is a Ccostarring spot with Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten and Neville Brand in a powerful drama of conflict and passion, ‘‘The Last Sunset,”’ WHICH) -OPense: xen See, at the NG LB BRS a ae Theater. In the unusual outdoor drama, she portrays avery young girl who falls madly in love with a man more than twice her age. The role has been described as “Lolita with lariats.” Co-producers Eugene Frenke and Edward Lewis actually interviewed 112 teen-aged aspirants in their search for the right girl. Of this group, 23 were given exhaustive screen tests. When it was all over, Carol Lynley had the part. Her story of winning the sought-after “‘The Last Sunset” role is a familiar one with Carol. At the age of ten, the New York City beauty was Manhattan’s number one sub-teen model. At 15, she was in a Broadway play, portraying Dame Sybil Thorndike’s daughter in ‘“‘The Potting Shed.” A year later, after scoring a hit in ‘‘Blue Denim” on Broadway, she was brought to Hollywood by 20th Century-Fox to appear in “Holiday for Lovers” and to re-create her stage role in the screen version of “Blue Denim.” She’s been one of the most popular young actresses in Hollywood ever since. Kirk Douglas and Carol Lynley stroll through a $200,000 western te ea a role aptly dubbed “Lolita with lariats’” in “The Last Sunset,” Brynaprod’s powerful action drama of conflict and passion also starring Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten and Neville Brand. Universal is releasing the color production. (Still 1899-17AD ) In “The Last Sunset’ Carol plays a girl younger than her actual years, essaying Dorothy Malone’s 16-year-old daughter. “But the years don’t count,” adds Miss Lynley ecstatically. “It’s what happens to her. And what happens—wow!”’ town constructed in central Mexico for the ‘The Last Sunset,” powerful action drama of conflict and passion that also stars Rock Hudson, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten and Neville Brand. Universal releases the fine Brynaprod color production. (Still 1899-19) Joseph Cotten Stimulates Dramatic Career In First’ Chore As Character Actor (Advance) A brand-new career has blossomed for ambidextrous Joseph Cotten with his selection as one of the stars of Brynaprod’s Universal release, ‘““The Last Sunset,” powerful action drama of:-conflict: and passion which opens... 2.2 Sa at the eis es ai os AE Theater. Cotten, a brilliant romantic star of stage, films and television, now emerges as a full-fledged character actor as he shares top honors with Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Carol Lynley and Neville Brand in the colorful outdoor action drama that was filmed in its entirety in Mexico. In “The Last Sunset” he portrays a whiskey-soaked, stubblechinned rancher who fails miserably in everything from Civil War battlefield bravery to raising cattle and clinging to Dorothy Malone, a wife who no longer considers him romantic. He finally dies in a gunfight he inspires by his own braggadocio. “For the first time in my career, my death scene will not in spire a single sympathetic tear,” Cotten admits. “It seems quite strange to be in a film with two beautiful girls and watch other actors share all the romantic interludes with them. On the other hand, there’s enough ‘ham’ in me to enjoy the privileges accorded a character actor—making faces, chewing scenery and never worrying about his profile or the press in his pants.” His first character role is not the only new departure in the life of a man who rose to sudden fame after he and Orson Welles formed the famous Mercury Players. At the same time Cotten has also branched into the directing field with a new play, ‘‘A Phoenix Too Frequent,” in West Coast tryouts before taking it to Broadway. Page 5