The Sun Also Rises (1957)

The Age of Commercialism

Admirable film.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Any book, novel, movie, narrative, consists of a protagonist, opposition and a desire line that drives it forward. Along the way, there will be a climax and a revelation that changes the main character in unexpected ways. The stakes should be high for the main character, and their challenge significant. Here we have no plot whatsoever for about 1.5 hours and then a tepid "fight" of three men for one woman. There is no tension, and no real struggle forward. Some wonderful acting by Errol Flynn and Eddie Albert. Prolonged scenes of bullfights might have been novel in the 1950's but are plodding and dull additions to a dud of a film. The rotten tomatoes review of 37% is generous.

. . . and a travelogue broke out. THE SUN ALSO RISES starts out pretty dull for about 48 minutes in Paris, and then becomes unendurably boring during its final 82 minutes in Spain. It's akin to watching grass dry, paint grow, or trying to read an entire book devoted to a geezer who catches a big fish, only to have it eaten by other big fish before he can get it to shore. Speaking of old farts, the opening narration of SUN claims that this tawdry tale takes place in 1922. How is it that all these aging bozos with one foot in the grave, such as Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power, could have been young Doughboys just four years earlier during WWI?! Did the Kaiser's minions spray them with AGING GAS? Apart from the washed-out "local color" aspect of this flick, its plot boils down to a sadistic nymphomaniac hopelessly hung up on her enabler, a masochistic but impotent veteran (of the U.S. Civil War, apparently). Maybe this hint of perversion was capable of drawing a few snickers back in the day, coming from the pen of Ernest Hemingway--the Caitlyn Jenner of his times. (Anyone who has followed the posthumous releases of "Papa's" weird Psycho-sexual musings and fantasies knows what I'm talking about.) Some may argue that a good movie COULD have been made from Jake Barnes' story. To that, I'd reply, "Isn't it pretty to think so?"

I am so moved by both this film and book that it makes me rethink the meaning of life. Tyrone Powell plays a rather reserved Jake Barnes. He does indeed Lady Brent to the point in which he has accepted her wayward life-style. Errol Flynn and Eddie Albert also add flavor and humor to a rather sad way of life.The film leaves out key scenes in the book.The poor love sick Robert addresses the issue of people who simply trying to hang-on regardless of the pain and suffering as does all the cast for one reason or another in life. Drinks does not lead to joy.Jake and Lady Ashley have a love that will go beyond the sexual desires of a wanton soul. Only Hemingway can take a masculine approach to Bullfighting and Love. We must always fight a good fight and always be ready to fight. Jake stated that he would indeed return next season for the fighting of the bulls.

I've come to the conclusion that I really don't care for Hemingway. Simply not my cup of tea. And, I don't really care for this film, even though it has a lot going for it: on-location Technicolor photography that is sometimes stunning, and a dream cast.But the movie is slow. I began writing this review just about half-way through the film, and my sentiment was what's the point? Interestingly, I found acting here decent. Tyrone Power does look older than his years here, but I am becoming more and more convinced that we sometimes underrate his acting. I'm not at all a fan of Ava Gardner, but she is very good here, and quite lovely. Mel Ferrer...well, not impressive. Eddie Albert decent...so sad he eventually devolved to "Green Acres". The real shocker is Errol Flynn. Once, such a big star, and here reduced to 4th billing! Yes, he had aged badly, but the problem is that he didn't seem to take this part very seriously.A lavish production, but what's the point. Disappointing.