A sophisticated city woman seduces a farmer and convinces him to murder his wife and join her in the city, but he ends up rekindling his romance with his wife when he changes his mind at the... Read allA sophisticated city woman seduces a farmer and convinces him to murder his wife and join her in the city, but he ends up rekindling his romance with his wife when he changes his mind at the last moment.A sophisticated city woman seduces a farmer and convinces him to murder his wife and join her in the city, but he ends up rekindling his romance with his wife when he changes his mind at the last moment.
- Won 3 Oscars
- 6 wins & 2 nominations total
- The Photographer
- (as J. Farrell McDonald)
- Streetcar Conductor
- (uncredited)
- Dance Hall Manager
- (uncredited)
- Manager of Hair Salon
- (uncredited)
- Little Girl
- (uncredited)
- Woman in Dance Hall
- (uncredited)
- Angry Driver
- (uncredited)
- Performer - Song: 'Tozo'
- (uncredited)
- Boy
- (uncredited)
- Old Seaman
- (uncredited)
Best Picture Winners by Year
Best Picture Winners by Year
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaF.W. Murnau hated to use title cards in his films, so in Sunrise (1927), the title cards become more and more infrequent as the film progresses and virtually non-existent by the end.
- GoofsThe number of bottles left on the table after the piglet bumps it changes between shots. There are five bottles when the piglet bumps it, but when the Man comes in and grabs the piglet there are seven bottles on it.
- Quotes
[opening title cards]
Title Card: This song of the Man and his Wife is of no place and every place; you might hear it anywhere, at any time.
Title Card: For wherever the sun rises and sets, in the city's turmoil or under the open sky on the farm, life is much the same; sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet.
- Alternate versionsTwo major versions of the film exist - the version for the American market, and the version for the Czech market. While obviously the same basic film, the Czech version is about 15 minutes shorter and features alternate angles/takes for much of the movie - this was not uncommon in the days of silent films when marketing them abroad.
- ConnectionsEdited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une vague nouvelle (1999)
'Sunrise' in my mind absolutely deserves every ounce of the acclaim it garnered and still gets. Murnau was a truly fabulous and influential director whose (too few) films were watchable at their worst and amazing at their best, and while 'Faust', 'The Last Laugh' and 'Nosferatu' are wonderful films 'Sunrise' gets my vote as his best. Of the many fantastic silent films out there, in a list that includes 'Metropolis', 'The Crowd', 'The Last Laugh', 'Intolerance' and 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari', 'Sunrise' is one of the very finest. Cannot say enough great things about it and Gaynor's Oscar win is easily one of the most deserving winners in the early years of the Academy Awards history (in a period with a fair share of questionable nominees).
In a period of exceptionally well made films and even for a director who was a visual master, 'Sunrise' looks exquisite. Not many films at the time and since had cinematography this level of stunning or full of wonder, with also a surprisingly witty style and chockful of images that actually tell a story. As always with Murnau, the sets are indicative of a lot of time, money and thought went into constructing them as they are very rich in detail and lavish. It is also one of the few films where back projection is used well and looks good, usually it looks cheap but here it is quite imaginative.
Murnau's direction was seldom more accomplished or more inspired than here in 'Sunrise', which is quite a feat from one of the more accomplished and inspired directors of the silent film era. A perfect example of why he is justifiably lauded in cinema. The music is beautifully done, it appeals on the ears and is not intrusively used or emotionally over-emphasised. 'Sunrise' is also sincerely written and doesn't ramble. The story is nothing short of timeless and of all the silent films in existence to me 'Sunrise' is the one that connects with me the most emotionally.
A lot of poignancy can be seen here and there are a fair share of memorable scenes, particular standouts being the hard hitting rowboat scene and the visually unforgettable trolley ride. It is one of the few rewatched films this year to uplift me and fill me with hope, sorely needed at a point where that was not felt very much. Simply put, 'Sunrise' is a masterpiece of complex range of emotion.
Wonderful acting can be seen here too, with Gaynor being perfectly cast and a revelation in the lead role, charming and deeply felt.
One can argue that masterpiece is thrown around a lot and too easily these days and personally have tried to avoid using it a lot, but 'Sunrise' deserves it. Amazing film and a fine example of a film that one should see before they die. 10/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Apr 27, 2021
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $200,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $121,848
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1