Rating: 
Summary: Sprawling western, silly plot
Review: Duel in the Sun was supposed to be the next Gone with the Wind for David O. Selznick. The hyped film boasts an all star cast: Jennifer Jones, Gregory Peck, Joseph Cotton, Lionel Barrymore, and Lillian Gish. The acting is over the top, especially Jennifer Jones' sultry Pearl. Gregory Peck seemed to enjoy his change of pace role as Lewt and enacts the role with gusto. It was a change from his heroic characters that he played in his earlier films. Joseph Cotton is the virtuous brother, Jesse, who does not choose to "forget" that he catches Lewt with Pearl, much to Pearl's hearbreak.The ending of the book had Jesse and Pearl vanquishing the evil Lewt and riding off into the sunset. Looking at the over the top finale of this movie, I wish the producer had stayed with the ending of the book. The lines are laughable ("You know I had to shoot you," cries Pearl. "Yes, dear, I know you did," answers Lewt.) There are many cliches: Lewt catching Pearl swimming in the nude and not allowing her to leave the water and get her clothes. Pearl throwing herself at another man to make Lewt jealous. Pearl's transformation, where she decides to become a wanton, her facial expression changing to reflect this. I understand the "dance of the sump" was left out of the film, where Pearl dances for Lewt. It was supposed to be "indecent" but in retrospect might have been a source of amusement to contemporary audiences. If you are looking for representative films from the Selznick studio, consider the following instead: Gone with the Wind, A Star is Born, Portrait of Jennie, and The Prisoner of Zenda. For MGM, Selznick produced such standout films as David Copperfield and Anna Karenina. For better films pairing Jones and Cotton, look for the films Love Letters and Portrait of Jennie. The two are at their best in those.
Rating: 
Summary: An Epic Classic Turned Camp Classic
Review: I absolutley LOVE this movie. Directed by David O. Selznick of "Gone With The Wind" fame, and starring his wife, Jennifer Jones, "Duel In The Sun" was an attempt to repeat or out-do the success of "Gone With The Wind". The results is a lavishly filmed, beautifully scored, over-acted, melodramtic sex western, that was banned in many cities when it opened in 1946, but by todays standards, could be a script for Saturday Night Live. With the beautiful Jennifer Jones working so hard to portray "Pearl Chevez", the half-breed Indian girl that can't quit figure out WHO to sleep with, she comes across as humorously psychotic most of the time, although I'm sure that at the time they thought they were being serious. "Lewt" (Gregory Peck), has agressive sex with her a couple of times, "Pearl" pretending at first, to not want or like his advances. But each time she begs him not to leave. In one scene, she's on the floor, her arms wrapped around his leg, as he drags her across the floor, and all the while she's begging him not to leave...Wonderful! And, it's not just Jones who has the over-the-top scenes. Lionel Barrymore(Senator McCanles) and Lilian Gish(Laura Belle) have a few moments of their own, the best one being in the bedroom when she's dying. The whole overacting cast is wonderful. The only one you can take seriously is Joseph Cotton as "Jesse". It was also nice to see Butterfly McQueen as "Vashti". The grand finale of the movie is the beautifully scored, and out-of-this-world surprise ending. The stunts in the ending scenes were all done by Miss Jones herself, and according to her biography, the blood on her hands is real! Jennifer Jones has made many great movies. "Madame Bovary", "Love Letters", "Good Morning Miss Dove", "The Song Of Bernadette", and many more. "Duel" is one of her most memorable, even if it was over-acted. (Her most outlandish movie was a mistake titled "Angel Angel Down We Go".) "Duel In The Sun" is a must for video collectors, as are most of Jennifer Jone's movies.
Rating: 
Summary: Selznick at his best
Review: I am eagerly awaiting delivery of the DVD version of this classic film. Jennifer Jones has never looked more beautiful. The colors and photography in this film are luscious. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Insulting
Review: I cringe every time AMC runs this film. One of the most racist. sexist movies I have ever seen. All the women characters are idiots. The sight of Jennifer Jones playing a "half-breed"(ie. Mestiza, A Mexican) in brown grease-paint is offensive to the sensiblities of this 21st century Latina. Plays heavily on the stereo-type of women of color being sexually loose. Gives me the same nauseating feeling that African-American people probably have when they watch "Gone with the Wind"
Rating:
Summary: Worth Some Laughs If Nothing Else
Review: I had a hard time coming up with a rating for this film ... it did entertain me, but not because of its superior filmmaking. A lot of money obviously went into this overproduced spectacle. If only a less heavy-handed touch had been used as well! Jennifer Jones is the panting half-breed girl torn between two brothers, the very good Joseph Cotten and the very bad Gregory Peck. Their mother, the saintly Lillian Gish looks on with concern, while their father, the not-so saintly Lionel Barrymore opposes the girl and pretty much everything in general. What ensues is over two hours of lust, bickering, bellowing, and more lust. Jones swings her hips and shoulders to convey her characters urges, but does little else with what little character she has been given to develop. Peck is fun as the brother lacking pretty much any morals, while Cotten is one note and boring. Gish looks stunned throughout most of the film, but manages a couple of effective moments (and lets ignore her straight-from-the-silents deathbed scene!!). Barrymore blusters and blusters in a role tailor made for his hamminess. Others in the cast, including Charles Bickford, Walter Huston, Herbert Marshall, and Butterfly McQueen deliver what you would expect of them. The script is full of laughable lines and characters, and there's more than a few moments when you'll be holding your head wondering what they were thinking!?!? The music score is dramatic, although sometimes overpowering, and the colour cinematography is outstanding. There are the bones of a good film here, but pretty much everything is overheated and overproduced. The movie is entertaining, albeit not always for the reasons is should be. And it certainly isn't boring. It's one of those classic films that should be seen ... if only for a few good laughs.
Rating:
Summary: One of life's guilty pleasures.
Review: I love this movie. But it's a real departure from your classic western formula. Jennifer Jones as Pearl Chavez is hotter'n a Arkansas Rembrandt as a steamy little half-breed that wants to be a "good girl" but just can't resist all those wicked urges. Gregory Peck missed his calling...he is fantastic as Lewton McCanles, the ultimate bad boy who just takes what he wants, and kills who he wants without remorse all the while getting atta-boys from the old man with Lionel Barrymore in a familiar role of rich curmudgeon. Yeah, it's over the top melodrama and literally everything is way overdone but I still love it. The final scene with Pearl and Lewt is a classic example of timeless CAMP. Just hilarious. BTW, the DVD transfer is excellent. No disappointments here. Too bad the Lewt character didn't carry over to The Gunfighter, a lesser western soap opera that has lent itself to over-analysis, and more praise than it's due. Hey Reggie...stick to something you know about like Star Trek, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and showtunes. haw haw haw
Rating:
Summary: Jennifer Jones sizzles the screen.
Review: If you are in the mood to see a film where two lovers break up and it's a western, this one is for you. David O. Selznick's Duel In The Sun has some interesting shades of GONE WITh THE WIND (1939) to it, including Butterfly McQueen in the cast. But when Selznick does a film, he does it big. What a performance by Jennifer Jones who plays a sex-crazed half-breed. (The first time I ever saw Jennifer Jones was in THE TOWERING INFERNO [1974]. She looked lovely then.) Joseph Cotten brings his wife-intent to the McCanles family ranch to meet his parents Lillian Gish and Lionel Barrymore (ON BORROWED TIME [1939]). While Jennifer gets comfortable and settled in, along comes the sexually aggressive Gregory Peck as "Lewt", the brother of jesse. While Jesse is helping on the ranch, Lewt tries to get closer to Jennifer. She resists. Until one rainy, thunderous night, Lewt rapes her, but more like she gives in. When Jesse finds out about the two, it changes everything and everybodies life.
Also in the cast: Charles Bickford, Herbert Marshall and Walter Huston.
The natural rock formation of the side of a man's face actually does exsist. You'll see the real thing here and also matte shots were used.
Rating:
Summary: Jennifer Jones sizzles the screen.
Review: If you are in the mood to see a film where two lovers break up and it's a western, this one is for you. David O. Selznick's Duel In The Sun has some interesting shades of GONE WITh THE WIND (1939) to it, including Butterfly McQueen in the cast. But when Selznick does a film, he does it big. What a performance by Jennifer Jones who plays a sex-crazed half-breed. (The first time I ever saw Jennifer Jones was in THE TOWERING INFERNO [1974]. She looked lovely then.) Joseph Cotten brings his wife-intent to the McCanles family ranch to meet his parents Lillian Gish and Lionel Barrymore (ON BORROWED TIME [1939]). While Jennifer gets comfortable and settled in, along comes the sexually aggressive Gregory Peck as "Lewt", the brother of jesse. While Jesse is helping on the ranch, Lewt tries to get closer to Jennifer. She resists. Until one rainy, thunderous night, Lewt rapes her, but more like she gives in. When Jesse finds out about the two, it changes everything and everybodies life.
Also in the cast: Charles Bickford, Herbert Marshall and Walter Huston.
The natural rock formation of the side of a man's face actually does exsist. You'll see the real thing here and also matte shots were used.
Rating:
Summary: The 13th Birthday I Never Forgot
Review: In 1979 I celebrated my 13th birthday staying up way too late watching "Duel In The Sun". It was an unbelievable evening as I was mesmerized with every second of this movie. Most young girls are hopeless romantics and I was certainly one of them. This movie will not disappoint if passion is what you're looking for. Unrequited love is almost a right of passage we all must endure and this movie always reminds me of the bittersweetness of that kind of love! I have not seen the movie since my Birthday 25 years ago. Decided to give myself a Christmas present and more than likely will pass this on to my daughter many years down the road. You won't be disappointed with this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Don't know why this movie has such a bad rap.....
Review: It is WONDERFUL!!! What more could one ask for from the Golden Age of Hollywood: Producer David O. Selznick(he did a little something called "Gone With the Wind" - you may not remember that one....), beautiful Jennifer Jones, a young Gregory Peck, stalwart support from Joseph Cotten, a crotchtedy Lionel Barrymore, a luminious Lillian Gish, supendous 3-strip Technicolor, a decent story for a western(my least favorite movie genre), and a history that would equal Selznick's other "little movie" - GWTW. The DVD of this does the film justice, although some commentary or other supporting features would have been fantastic. I have the Anchor Bay releases of this film and just got this MGM release-they seem to be taken from the same source material, which is very, very good. This film's reputation needs to be defended - sure it was shocking in 1947, but in 2004, they could probably touch on these topics in an "Waltons" or "Litte House" episode. Judge for yourself - get this movie - you won't be disappointed!!
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