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Original title:Duel in the Sun
Category:Movie / Drama / Romance / Western
Released:1946
Director:King Vidor,Otto Brower
Actors:Jennifer Jones,Joseph Cotten,Gregory Peck
Writer:David O. Selznick,Niven Busch
Budget:$8,000,000
Duration:2h 9min
Video type:Movie

Rating 6.9: Votes 621

1946 Jennifer Jones Joseph Cotten Gregory Peck King Vidor Otto Brower

Short summary

When her father is hanged for shooting his wife and her lover, half-breed Pearl Chavez goes to live with distant relatives in Texas. Welcomed by Laura Belle and her elder lawyer son Jesse, she meets with hostility from the ranch-owner himself, wheelchair-bound Senator Jackson McCanles, and with lustful interest from womanising, unruly younger son Lewt. Almost at once, already existing family tensions are exacerbated by her presence and the way she is physically drawn to Lewt.

According to King Vidor, director Josef von Sternberg was hired only as a lighting expert by David O. Selznick in order to give his wife--and the film's star--Jennifer Jones a more glamorous look.

Jennifer Jones scraped and cut herself quite badly during the scene where she crawls over the rocks and dirt.

The British writing-directing team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were shown a pre-release screening of the film by producer David O. Selznick. Both were thoroughly unimpressed with the movie, but didn't want to offend Selznick by saying so. At the end of the film, when Gregory Peck and Jennifer Jones are crawling towards each other on a mountain and when they get near each other they both open fire, Pressburger turned to Powell and whispered, "What a pity they didn't shoot the screenwriter".

David O. Selznick's constant rewrites of completed scenes and insistence on reshoots caused director King Vidor to quit and be replaced by William Dieterle, although Vidor and Selznick still remained friends.

David O. Selznick reportedly spent $2,000,000.00, an unheard of sum in 1946, on the promotion of this film.

This film's musical score was the subject of a famous soundstage exchange between producer David O. Selznick and composer Dimitri Tiomkin. When Selznick first heard Tiomkin's "love theme", he was visibly disappointed and admonished the composer, "You don't understand. I want real f**king music!" To which Tiomkin angrily replied, "You f**k your way, I f**k my way. F**k you - I quit!" Their differences were eventually patched up, and Tiomkin's music was used in the final film.

The role of Pearl was originally written for Teresa Wright, as a departure from her girl-next-door image. However, pregnancy forced her to drop out.

Adjusted for inflation in 2013, the film's US box office gross of $20,408,163 would be $410,714,300.

The "purity" medal that Walter Huston gives to Jennifer Jones is an Egyptian Magic Coin token, a form of the "Good Luck" token. These were produced starting around 1905, as one appears in a Sears & Roebuck catalog then. Many more were produced in the 1920s, after the discovery of King Tut's tomb made news all over the world. One side has an Egyptian pharaoh and the other side has an Egyptian sphinx and pyramids. They are usually around 32mm in diameter and made of brass. Some are plated with silver or white metal.

Producer (and uncredited director) David O. Selznick battled amphetamine addiction throughout production. His drug abuse exacerbated much of his erratic behavior during filming, including his constant demand for reshoots.

Director King Vidor disliked the scene where villainous Gregory Peck's character blows up a train, killing its crew. However, producer David O. Selznick insisted it stay in the final cut.

The film was nicknamed "Lust in the Dust", which would later serve as the inspiration for the film Geier, Geld und goldene Eier (1984).

According to the "Hollywood Reporter" of Oct. 13, 1944, when Niven Busch was to have been writer and producer (prior to David O. Selznick's involvement), he had John Wayne and Hedy Lamarr originally set for the leading roles.

Because of its sexual content it was not released in Memphis, Tennessee, until 1959.

Gregory Peck's work on Die Wildnis ruft (1946) overlapped for three or four weeks with this film. Peck would work on "The Yearling" in the morning and "Duel in the Sun" later in the day. Accordimg to the actor, "I didn't do much acting. I rode horses, necked with [Jennifer Jones] and shot poor old [Charles Bickford].

Martin Scorsese has said that the movie that influenced him most was this one.

In his condemned cell, Scott Chavez quotes from Quatrain xxvi of Edward FitzGerald's translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Kayyam: "One thing is certain and the rest is Lies / The Flower that once has blown forever dies."

This film is listed among The 100 Most Amusingly Bad Movies Ever Made in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's book THE OFFICIAL RAZZIE® MOVIE GUIDE.

David O. Selznick had originally intended this property as his artistic follow-up to Vom Winde verweht (1939). He envisioned a lavish production with no expense spared, and ultimately he got his wish. Constant production delays, many caused by Selznick's meddling and the hiring and firing of as many as seven directors (including Selznick himself), as well as an extended editing period to cut the film from its original 26-hour running time, caused the budget to balloon to a then-horrifying sum of $6 million, plus an additional $2 million in marketing costs. Though the film eventually did turn a profit, it effectively marked the end of Selznick's career. However, he went on to produce prestige films such as Der Fall Paradin (1947), Jenny (1948), Der dritte Mann (1949) and In einem anderen Land (1957).

Features legendary actress Lillian Gish's only Oscar nominated performance.

Dice, Gregory Peck's horse in the film, made "Life Magazine" because, while the movie was being filmed, Peck rode him into the dining room of the Hotel Santa Rita, then through the hotel lobby, entered an open elevator, decided it was too small, backed out, and climbed the stairs as well.

Film debut of Joan Tetzel.

The last of four films in four successive years for which Jennifer Jones was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar, after winning for Das Lied von Bernadette (1943), and being nominated for Als du Abschied nahmst (1944) and Liebesbriefe (1945).

User reviews

Author: monotronik

King Vidor was a long-serving and much-respected Hollywood grandmaster who took a serious interest in movie-making "Billy the Kid" and "Duel in the Sun" hold an important place in the history of the genre These two films in particular, along with "Northwest Passage," show Vidor's romantic vision of backwoods America and his love of natural landscape; they share, too, an earthy quality which is missing from his more routine action Westerns, "The Texas Rangers" and "Man Without a Star."

Photographed in rich color, the visual magnificence of the film was manifested in the shots of the cowboys galloping across the rolling hills; in the spectacular confrontation between the McCanles forces who aimed to defend Spanish Bit with lead and the U.S. Cavalry; in the deep red sunset sequence with Lionel Barymore as "the lonely Senator"; and in that long shot of the surreptitious meeting between Lewt and his father on the hilltop at sunset

"Duel in the Sun" is extravagantly and grandiosely passionate and romantic and its characters are much larger than life A poignant scene was the tremendous moment between two legendary actors (Lionel Barrymore & Lillian Gish) when Laura Belle said to her husband "I'm a nuisance to you even to the end. It's the first time you've been in this room since that night./I loved you, Laura Belle. Yes, sir, I loved you."

Now, when a single movie offers murder, rape, attempted fratricide, train wreck, fiery sensual dance, drunkenness, religion, range wars, prostitution, sacred and profane love and sex as the principal motivation and not as an incidental subplot, and all that against an epic background of empire-building, well, it is for the first time in a Western in such a big scale

The film featured the story of Pearl Chavez whose past is dark as her coca-stained skin and who loves everybody but loves bad Lewt most often

Gregory Peck character as Lewt is barbaric, undisciplined, untamed, overwhelming He is a bad man, all bad, but he is also the lowest, dirtiest, meanest and cool, and he knows how to laugh and have a good time

Jennifer Jones as Pearl, is the 'prettiest girl ever to set foot on Spanish Bit.' She is a marvelous overwrought minx, wild and sexy

Joseph Cotton is the calm, educated, refined, pleasant son Jesse who ultimately sides with the railroad against his fatherHe even threatens to cut the fence wire promising: "I'd rather be on the side of the victims than of the murderers."

Lionel Barrymore is the invalid Senator Jackson McCanles who orders his son, calling him a "Judas," to leave his ranch for as long as he lives

Lillian Gish is the delicate Laura Belle who blames her husband of spoiling Lewt and she let him do so ever since he was a child making him think that rules weren't made for him

Herbert Marshall plays Scott Chavez the condemned Southern aristocrat gentleman who sends his daughter to Laura Belle, his second cousin

Charles Bickford plays Sam Pierce, the boss who gets a little ranch of his own but never run across anybody he wanted to marry Besides, he never got up nerve enough to ask anybody

Impassions, pulsating, barbaric, and thunderous, the music matches perfectly the fervid emotionalism of the story

The film received only two Academy Awards nominations

Author: thrust

David O. Selznick spent the rest of his life trying to top Gone With the Wind. What other mountains did he have to climb after making the most acclaimed motion picture ever?

In addition he had another obsession, his second wife Jennifer Jones. He was going to make her the greatest leading lady in the history of film.

Well he didn't succeed at either, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Jones herself was in a peculiar position similar to her husband's. She got an Oscar for her first feature film after she changed her name from Phyllis Isley to Jennifer Jones. Selznick knew that she couldn't play saints all her life as she did in The Song of Bernadette. So for this western answer to Gone With the Wind as Pearl Chavez she plays about as opposite a character from Bernadette Soubirous as you can get.

Duel in the Sun got mixed reviews by the critics, but the public ate it up. It's the story of the McCanless family, parents Lionel Barrymore and Lillian Gish and sons Joseph Cotten and Gregory Peck. Cotten is the good son, Peck the bad one. In fact as Lewt McCanless Peck played his worst character until Josef Mengele in Boys from Brazil.

A kissing cousin of their's Jennifer Jones comes to live with them. She's the offspring of an old beau of Lillian's, Herbert Marshall and the Indian wife he ran off with back in the day. Lillian and Herbert were kissing cousins also.

As Pearl Chavez, Jen gets the McCanless boys testosterone going into overdrive. Take one look at her and you can hardly blame them.

One of the not so hidden subtexts of Duel in the Sun is racism. Jennifer's good for a quick roll in the hay, but marriage is out of the question, at least for Gregory Peck. Barrymore's and Peck's racism is overt, the others not quite so, but it's still there.

The negotiations with Louis B. Mayer for Lionel Barrymore must have been interesting. Selznick's former wife was Irene Mayer, Louis's daughter.

One thing with Selznick, he spared no expense. He got the best in talent for this film. Dimitri Tiomkin did the score, King Vidor the direction, Ray Rennahan the color photography which is absolutely stunning.

He even got Bing Crosby to record Gotta Get Me Somebody to Love with Les Paul's guitar. Peck sang it in the film, Crosby's record sold a few platters.

He even got Orson Welles to do the off-screen narration if you don't recognize that voice.

It misses being a classic mainly because Selznick couldn't keep his hands off it. Sometimes the acting is about as subtle as a sledgehammer from all the performers. I'm willing to bet it's Selznick more than Vidor.

Yet it's good entertainment and Duel in the Sun does have its moments.

Author: Jox

Everything about 'Duel in the Sun' is overripe: the music, the photography (those red sunsets a la GWTW), the strong emotions and the climactic duel on a blazing desert sun by the two mismatched lovers. Indeed, the excesses are almost operatic in proportion--and yet, a viewer can get caught up in this sprawling western rightly termed "Lust in the Dust" by some reviewers. The rampant sensuality of the steamy scenes between Peck and Jones are emphasized by Dimitri Tiomkin's luscious background score which becomes blistering and intense for the climactic shootout. Overproduced, overacted, overwritten--it still entertains and makes us appreciate the genius of David O. Selznick whose hand on all of the material is quite evident. Jennifer Jones was nominated for her tempestuous Pearl Chavez (but lost to Olivia de Havilland for 'To Each His Own'). Lillian Gish deserved her Oscar nomination. And last but not least, let's not forget Walter Huston, who gives the most realistic and enjoyable performance in the entire film as The Sin Killer--a wickedly funny portrayal. Weakest aspect of the film is Gregory Peck's easygoing villain--his whole performance strikes a false note and is not the least bit convincing. He and Joseph Cotten should have switched their roles--Cotten always made a more believable villain than Peck. Selznick obviously was striving to make a western on the level of GWTW--even including Butterfly McQueen for comic relief. All in all, fun to watch if you don't take any of it seriously. Not exactly a work of art--but definitely worth watching. And, oh, that ripe technicolor!

Author: Nuliax

This movie is like a painting by an old master that hangs in a museum--we may not be moved by it, but we can still appreciate the artistry. Its most notable feature is the director, King Vidor, master of silent film making. As you might expect, many of the important scenes have little or no dialog. In one scene between Lionel Barrymore and Lillian Gish, he rambles on about their life together, while she strains to get out of her sickbed and crosses slowly to him, the entire distance transfigured by the depth of her love for him. Gish was a great star of silent film, with a wonderful, expressive face, full of compassion and grace. In another scene that happens under quite different circumstances, Jennifer Jones crawls to Gregory Peck, the man she loves, also without words, evincing great sorrow and quiet dignity. In both cases, the women prove they are far more noble than the men who love them so badly. Jones also has a mobile face, together with a beautiful, resonant voice. No film that has these two ladies at its center should be missed. In addition, the film has two marvelous scenes that, at the time of its making, would have been just as impressive as some of today's special effects wonders: In the first, about 20 armed horsemen face a crowd of railway workers, including some chinese, clothed in authentic period dress, with a steam engine in the background. As the tensions mount, a troop of mounted cavalry, about 100 strong, ride onto the set, filmed on location (judging by the saguarros and ocatillos) in Arizona. This was a tour de force of filmmaking at a time when shooting on location was rare. In the second scene, a train under a full head of steam jumps the tracks and plows down an embankment. Filmed in early technicolor, this movie has lush exteriors and panoramas of rich desert color. Two more character actors should be mentioned, both of whom steal every scene they enter: Butterfly McQueen, the maid whose comments are both simple and profound, and Walter Huston, as the crusty sheriff who doubles as a preacher during a funeral.

Author: Thordigda

A half-breed named Pearl (Jennifer Jones) is sent off to live with her second cousins after her parents are killed. She disrupts the household causing problems between two brothers--one named Lewt (Gregory Peck) who's bad and Jesse (Joseph Cotten) who's good. She also is hated by the father (Lionel Barrymore) and protected by the mother (Lillian Gish).

Beautifully filmed in Technicolor this is a fun movie. The dialogue is full of howlers and, for it's time, this was pretty strong stuff. The emphasis is on sex and that bothered audiences in the late 40s. An entire dance by Jones was cut out and the release of the film was delayed because of the content! Today it's very tame and pretty funny.

Jones is horribly miscast as Pearl. She's very beautiful and wears tight, revealing clothing all through the film, but her acting is terrible. She sneers and glares her way through all her scenes and seems incapable of saying any line believably. Peck is surprisingly very good playing an evil man. Cotten and Gish are stuck with thankless good person roles. Barrymore REALLY chews the scenery. And the opening narration is by Orson Welles!

This movie was made by David O. Selznick to showcase his then girlfriend (and future wife) Jones. Purportedly he made this with serious intentions. It was a big hit but most critics dismissed it as trash. Today it's just a true camp classic. Hysterically bad but beautifully filmed and loads of fun. The climax especially is a howler. A great party flick.

In it's own way, this is a definite must-see.

Author: Sagda

The restored "Road Show" DVD of David O. Selznick's production of "Duel in the Sun" is a most impressive experience. What this restoration has done is to place the viewer back to 1946 at the premiere itself.

Selznick's vision was huge, romantic, and sumptuous. He had the means to spare no expense or effort in realizing this grandiose concept. The result is a sweeping drama set in the west, yet rising above the normal trappings of most movie westerns.

First a trio of photographers headed by the peerless Lee Garmes, and assisted by Ray Rennahan and Hal Rosson, provided a rich and colorful canvas of romantic artistry and beauty. Then a screenplay by producer Selznick emphasized the Gothic and overripe emotions with great relish. If you're going to do it, do it, was the attitude. Let the trash explode on the screen. Added to this formidable group of artists came director King Vidor, beautifully directing a carefully chosen and extremely talented cast, and creating some magnificent and memorable set pieces.

Lastly came the legendary composer, Dimitri Tiomkin, crafting a superb score, exuding the pent up and released emotions of the characters and painting the hot and sultry essence of the desert setting. The way to fully experience the Selznick vision is to take the time to position one's self before the DVD monitor, adjust the sound volume to near peak level, and absorb the score from the first note of the 15-minute Prelude, the 5-minute Overture, through the 144-minute drama, and continue until the final, crashing chord of the 5-minute Postlude (Exit Music). Only then will the true meaning and power of "Duel in the Sun" be realized.

It's a one-of-a-kind film work, and a lasting tribute to that mad, disorganized, titanic and great genius of film production, Selznick.

Author: Erienan

PURE OPERA. From the scenic backdrops seething in passionate colors to Jennifer Jones' over-ripe performance and Dimitri Tiomkin's tempestuous score...'Duel In The Sun' isn't just another soapy oater, it is the ultimate soapy oater. Brimming with more bad taste than any screenwriter could possibly misconceive, this Selznick classic is the penultimate guilty viewing pleasure...if you like you're Westerns on the sleazy side that is!

The performances are all unapologetically over-the-top, with Ms. Jones, in an Oscar winning performance no less, as Pearl Chavez, the 'half-breed' vixen torn between lust for Gregory Peck's Lewt McCanles, the bad-boy brother gone badder, and the 'save-me-from-myself' brand of love for Joseph Cotten's Jesse McCanles, the good brother with not-a-whole-heck-of-alot of sex appeal going for him. In between all this indecision, Ms. Jones sets fire to the scenery with as many sultry leers and poses as, I suppose, the censors of the time would permit her. "I'm TRASH, TRASH, TRASH," Pearl exclaims. And that about sums it all up. In spades! I should also make mention of the other Oscar winning performance, that by the venerable Lillian Gish as Laura Belle McCanles who, in perhaps the most painfully rapturous sequence, resurrects her silent film training in a tour-de-force of physical acting that, in less capable hands, would only be embarrassing. Not that you won't be tempted to laugh mind you, even Grand Opera, at the best of times, isn't this exquisitely sublime. And then there is Butterfly McQueen...as the befuddled maid (what else)...in the only role written for obvious comedic effect, whose long-winded sincerity couldn't be the more perfect foil for a hurried house full of whitees with nothing but sex on the brain...

On the technical side, it is an unquestionably ravishing film to look at. In glorious Technicolor, the 'Old West' never looked more mythic or more prone to tragedy...the 'campy' side that is. And, yet once more, Dimitri Tiomkin finesses our ears with a resounding melody of wide open spaces and of still bigger ambitions and desires, culminating in a symphonic tempest for two ill-fated (or over-sexed) lovers who could only be united in death.

WOW, this picture is right off the Harlequin Romance map! And I enjoyed every minute of it.

Author: Ffleg

For those who prefer soap operas instead of horse operas, this western might be for you. If you prefer the normal action-packed western you'll still might enjoy this if you have the patience to go past the first hour. The second half of the this far more interesting.

Jennifer Jones, who became famous playing some wholesome roles in the '40s, was the definition of "sultry" in this movie. She really demonstrates the weakness of the flesh that human beings deal with many times. She wants to be good, but succumbs quickly to temptations almost every time.

Gregory Peck also plays against type, playing an arrogant pig in this movie. It was the first time I had ever seen him play the bad guy, and it looked strange. Lionel Barrymore also shines as the bigoted tyrant-type father. Who was the "good guy?" Joseph Cotten, who almost always gives a good performance as the other actors just named. Add Herbert Marshall, Lillian Gish, Walter Huston and Charles Bickford and you have some cast!

Some of the cinematography is nice, too, reminiscent of film noirs with the shadows and light and a number of night scenes.

Yet, despite all these positive things going for it, it is not a film I would watch many times because it drags in spots and is too long (app. 2 hours, 20 minutes). It also gave a cheap shot to the traveling lay preacher in here, but that's nothing new in films.

All in all, not one of my favorites. I guess I would rather see Jones and Peck play "good guys."

Author: Mr.Champions

No need to recap the plot.

One thing about this overblown fandango— once seeing it, you won't forget it. How could anyone when everything is done to such tasteless excess. Poor Pearl (Jones). Apparently, Jones was told her part was that of a hot-blooded wench, which she unfortunately took to mean parboiled. It's hard not to laugh at the first hour when she acts like a nympho on steroids, tossing hair and leering wildly like pampas grass in a windstorm. Not far behind is that vintage ham Lionel Barrymore doing his usual blustery bit, like we won't get his hard-bitten patriarch unless he takes it into hyper speed. And who could have guessed that the usually constricted and constrained Gregory Peck could actually over-act. I think it was his first and last time—good thing, too.

It's possible to go on about the unrelenting excess— the sunsets that appear to hemorrhage, a musical score that's as necessary as sugar on molasses, and a loony ending that defies parody. But you get the idea. Too bad so much money and effort went into such a generally overheated result. Only Cotten, Gish and the black stallion come through unscathed. I'm thinking RKO could have made a dozen worthwhile programmers on the same budget. As things turned out, Selznick did his beloved Jones no favors with this one. It's hard to believe the man responsible for Gone with the Wind (1939) is also responsible for this swollen mess.

Author: Made-with-Love

This lavish film focuses a passionate drama between a half-breed Indian girl named Pearl Chavez and Lewt , son of a powerful baron land . Gorgeous Mestiza Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones who had Academy Award nomination) becomes the ward of her dead daddy (Herbert Marshall)'s first love (Lillian Gish) and finds herself torn between her sons, one good guy (Joseph Cotten) and the other bad guy ( untypically cast as baddie , Gregory Peck). Living on a powerful dynastic ranch in Spanish Bit , Texas , and ruled by racist Senator McCanles (Lionel Barrymore) ; she incites the two brothers to conflict . The picture is full of largest-of-life characters as vivacious Perla Chavez built by the devil to drive men crazy ; Lewt McCanles (Gregory Peck) violent as the wind-swept prairie with blood-spilled on his hands ; Jesse (Joseph Cotten) , rebelling against the tyranny of his father ; Senator McCanles (Lionel Barrymore), rich , proud , master of a million of acres ; Raoul Chavez (Herbert Marshall) , ill-fated son of Creole aristocracy ; Laura Belle (Lillian Gish) as martyred mother of a strange brood ; , the pastor (Walter Huston) as the Sinkiller , lusty philosopher of the far-flying prairie .

This stirring drama Western plenty of lyric images deals with victory of civilization and defeat of feudal spirit represented by the proud Senator .Selznick's last lusty effort at outdoing his big hit ¨Gone with the wind¨ , he spend almost 5 million of this epic Western and over-budgeted the classic film of the 30s . Sensational main cast as a beautiful spitfire Jennifer Jones at her best , Gregory Peck as rebellious and violent son and Josep Cotten as fine lawyer ; all of them backed by extraordinary secondary cast as Lionel Barrymore as the magnate owner , Walter Huston as fanatic pastor and Lillian Gish who win Oscar nomination , among others .

Impressive scenes on the raid with lots of riders towards railway and cavalry arrival . The movie had quite a few problems with censorship caused for frank loving relations between Pearl and Lewt ; it aroused great controversy , US religious organizations protested about the lack ethic and morals and the lots of bloodletting , however it ensured success at box-office and awesome critics . Passionate screenplay by the same producer , David O'Selznick suggested by Niven Busch's novel . Filmed nearly Tucson , Arizona and California , including spectacular landscapes photographed by three cameramen , Lee Garmes , Roy Rennahan ,and Hal Rosson . The motion picture is very well realized by King Vidor , though he was missed by David O'Selznick (Jennifer Jones's husband) , being completed by six directors as Otto Brower (2ª unit) ,William Dieterle , Breezy Reeves Eason (second unit), and minor collaboration from Joseph Von Stenberg and William Cameron Menzies . Rating : Better than average . Essential and indispensable seeing .

Author: Mitars Riders

Well, it's no Gone With The Wind. Selznick, again, features his wife, Jennifer Jones, in a different role than the usual wholesome roles she was expected to do. Portrait Of Jennie, Since You Went Away and Song of Bernadette. Jones has a bad habit of over-acting if allowed to do so. Example is Tender Is The Night, Man In A Grey Flannel Suit, Ruby Gentry and Love Letters. It takes a strong director to tone her down. King Vidor lost control of her in this or Selznick had too much control. Her performance consisted of a low gutteral voice and a sashaying walk. Not much else.

On the other hand, excellent supporting roles were played by Lionel Barrymore and Lilian Gish. They stole the picture in this viewer's opinion. Gregory Peck and Joseph Cotton went through the paces of what they were asked to do as rivalry brothers. But you kind of knew their hearts weren't in it. Then there was the presence of Butterfly McQueen in her usual Gone With The Wind type performance. Charles Bickford in an undistinguished role was wasted as was Herbert Marshall and Sidney Blackner [all good actors]. An impressive cast when the titles came on, but what followed was not what you wanted to see.

I got tired of seeing Jennifer Jones strutting about making faces of some indian half-breed. Boring. Oh, I liked the horse [the pinto] that she rode. He was terrific. Best to see this on video. Doesn't come off that bad. But it is a cornball western farce.

Author: LØV€ YØỮ

Duel In The Sun has to rank as one of the worse films I have ever seen, but different from a lot of other dreadful films, this one is so awful it's brilliant!! David O. Selznick clearly tried to do another Gone With The Wind and threw a massive chunk of money at the project, which is why it looks so spectacular. However on the human side, he ended up with was one of the most ridiculous melodramas of all time. Jennifer Jones is half-breed Indian, Pearl, expect she's caked in make up and makes Scarlett O'Hara look calm. After her father is hanged for murder she goes to live on grouchy Senator Barrymore's ranch and falls in love with both his sons: callous cowboy Peck and calm lawyer Cotton. Except she can never bring herself to love Cotton fully, while her relationship with Peck is extremely love-hate that tragedy strikes several times. All this sounds like it could have made a serious and stirring epic, except it that the script and direction are so dreadful that from beginning to end it's soap-opera mush, except most soaps aren't as silly! However everyone to do with it, the actors in particular are going at it hammer and tongs, (clearly under the illusion that they ARE making Gone With The Wind), that it's perversely compelling stuff all the way. Even if you spend most of the time laughing, especially the spectacularly ludicrous finale, perhaps the most memorably awful in cinema history. Thank you Michael Sauter, author of: The Worst Movies Of All Time, who yet again introduced my to yet another pricelessly bad gem!

Author: Very Old Chap

More critical nonsense has perhaps been written about "Duel in the Sun" than about any other U.S. made film. It is a big, intelligent and well-acted western. It had the great King Vido as the director for much of its beautiful footage,, plus contributions by several other very-fine directors. it was adapted from a good little novel by Niven Busch, with a script credited to Oliver H.P. Garrett as adaptation to the screen and to Ben Hecht and David Selznick for the screenplay. Th sterling cinematography was done by the great lee Garmes, Harodl Rosson and Ray Rennahan, with production design by J. McMillan Johnson and art direction by James Basevi. Costumes were the work of famous designer Walter Punkett. Dimitri Tiomkin did the music and producer Selznick spared no expense to make this project work. He also quarreled with Vidor over the production, and is probably responsible for the literate but needless fatality element and narrated prologue that alter the production a bit but do not harm it badly. The argument by so-called critics has been about "scale". Selznick, trying to repeat his triumph with "Gone With the Wind" they argued, kept trying to make his films 'bigger'--as if that were the key to an even-greater achievement in cinema for Selznick. But in this novel, the author is the one who suggested that the saloon in which the central character's mother dances was very large; I believe Selznick took this and the size of the desolate country within which the action takes place as cues for him to increase the physical scale of the drama. And for the most part, his decision seems to me to have been unarguably a good one. Many of the shots from Vidor and the other directors are legendary--riders racing along the tops of hills in silhouette against colorful skies, spacious interiors at the Spanish Bit ranch, the sump-hole sequence, the great dance sequence that ignites the action at the film's beginning, the train wreck disasters and many more... The story-line can actually be stated rather swiftly. Pearl Chavez is the daughter of an exotic female who dances and is married to a ne'er-do-well cultured fellow, a distant cousin of the wife of Senator McCanles, owner of a huge ranch in the 1880s. After her father kills his mother over a lover, and is hanged, Pearl is sent to live with the McCanles family. From the first, one son, Jesse, a lawyer, is attracted to her and she to Lewton, the wild cowboy scion of the family. She worries a lot about sin, but to no avail, since the viewer never sees any. What happens is a land dispute, which alienates Jesse from the senator and sends Lewt on a rampage against the railroad who has challenged his father's empire of cattle and dictatorial pseudo-benevolent despotism. he is also angry that Pearl has sent him away after being his lover. Realizing that she is as responsible as anyone for what Lewt has become, blaming her own sexuality for his wrongness, she goes after him and they shoot each other to rags on a desolate hillside, as they were perhaps fated to do in a U.S. mental environment of pseudo-Christian surrealism that helped make the Judge, Lewt and Pearl what they felt they had to be--and also set Jesse, the normative mind in the piece, as an outsider watching the dissolution of their hopes. The critics who have called the film never-dull, bizarre and a product of Selznick's tampering with the script have all been obviously correct; but as some have noted, when it is big the film is very good and memorable. From the great theme song to the powerful scenes, much of this re-engineered-fatalistic drama works. In the leads, Gregory Peck is handsome and showy, which he needs to be, to outshine his attractive but less-charismatic brother, very ably portrayed by Joseph Cotten. Lionel Barrymore does well as the dictatorial senator, and Lillian Gish as his wife proves to be very skilled indeed. Herbert Marshall as Scott Chavez and Tilly Losch are extremely fine; other very able supporting actors in the large cast who show to advantage include Walter Huston as a sin-killing preacher, Charles Bickford, Sidney Blackmer, Butterfly McQueen, Joan Tetzel, Scott McKay, Harray Caray and Otto Kruger. The central performer in the film is Jennifer Jones. I found her quiet and intelligent portrayal to be outstanding in every regard; she was lovely, repressed, sensual, bright, feral and tormented by turns. If Selznick intended this film as a showcase for his wife's wide range of acting abilities, I suggest it worked just about as intended. What is 'bizarre' about the film as a project, I suggest, apart from Selznick's torturing a simple melodrama into an epic drama and very cleverly too is that he then tried to reduce his splendid project to a diatribe against sensuality in order to turn its ending into a work of fate, or a commentary on human weakness. The two strains work against one another in the film at certain times, diminishing however only a little of the film's unusual power, only channeling it toward occasional exaggeration. A splendid piece of film-making by Vidor and every one of the actors and creators involved in its realization

Author: Chilldweller

Say you're 44-year-old Hollywood producer David O. Selznick and it's been seven years and a World War since your last Technicolor feature, "Gone with the Wind," which beat out not only "The Wizard of Oz" but "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Stagecoach" and "Wuthering Heights" for the Best Picture Oscar of 1939. How does a nice Jewish boy from Pittsburgh top that? Why, with "Duel in the Sun," so overblown and grandiose that it's acquired the nickname "Lust in the Dust". The screenplay was written by Niven Busch, whose wife was Teresa Wright, for whom the female lead role was intended as a departure from her terminally wholesome image, but in a spectacular piece of bad timing, she became pregnant early in production and had to drop out. Selznick then offered the role to his 27-year-old gorgeous Gentile girlfriend Jennifer Jones (the former Phyllis Walker), whom he later married.

I don't know if the film's historical background is accurate, but the action is set against the coming of the railroad to the Texas ranchlands and the opposition of the ranchers to the government's appropriation of rights-of-way by eminent domain for their cronies, the railroad magnates. Jones plays Pearl Chavez, a "half-breed", whose father kills Pearl's mother and her lover and is sentenced to death. Pearl goes to live with distant relatives on a ranch in Spanish Bit, Texas, and the sultry beauty's arrival immediately stirs up trouble in the already dysfunctional household, aggravating tensions between the brothers Jesse and Lewt (like lewd, get it?) McCanles. Jesse (Joseph Cotten) is the good but "gutless" son and Lewt (a very young Gregory Peck) is handsome and charming but also arrogant, insecure and violent. Intrigue, treachery and murder follow in Pearl's wake, friends and family take sides, and Pearl is torn between the two brothers who are well-defined "good" and "bad" characters. An attempted fratricide ensues, leading up to a climactic confrontation at Squaw's Head Rock in the Mexican desert (the "lust in the dust" part).

This is film-making at its best and worst. The best: The sets, costumes, outdoor locations and cinematography are magnificent, except for one or two inexplicable goofs such as a brief scene where Lionel Barrymore, in the center foreground, is perceptibly out of focus. I've seen this film both in a theater and on TV, and the richness of Technicolor comes through even on a TV screen. Even the computer-enhanced color effects of modern films can't surpass the brilliance and subtlety of the old 3-strip Technicolor process. There has just never been anything like it. The director was that old veteran of both silents and talkies, King Vidor. The location shooting, unusual in those days when productions rarely ventured off the studio backlot, is spectacular. Some scenes, such as the lineup of the U.S. cavalry across from a line of angry ranchers on horseback along a stretch of unfinished railroad track, and the derailing of a train on a hillside, are breathtaking even today. You do notice certain differences in the old technology; for example, there is a tracking shot of Pearl and Lewt on horseback where it may have been impractical to lay track for the camera, which jiggles up and down in a way that you never see in these days of the Steadicam.

The worst: The overheated, baroque, melodramatic plot and the operatic, stylized dialogue that had them on the edge of their seats in the 1940s will have you rolling in the aisles (either with mirth or in severe intestinal distress) in the 2000s. The casting is often equally absurd: The Tulsa-born Jennifer Jones in brown body makeup playing a "half-breed." The London-born Herbert Marshall playing her father, a Texas Creole. The Vienna-born Tilly Losch, also in brown body makeup, playing Pearl's mother, an Indian. Gregory Peck does his best, and maybe it's because of my memory of his later, generally sympathetic roles, but he is only marginally believable as the bad son Lewt.

Lionel Barrymore had for a number of years been confined to a wheelchair because of crippling arthritis, but that didn't stop him from working, and he supplies his usual hammy, melodramatic performance. Joseph Cotten does a serviceable job as Jesse although he seems too old for the part, and in fact he was about the same age as Selznick, so maybe there was symbolism there. Lillian Gish is excellent and the always brilliant Walter Houston chews up the scenery every chance he gets in his small role. No big, splashy Western would be complete without Charles Bickford and Harry Carey, and they look and act their parts perfectly here. The score by the legendary film composer Dmitri Tiomkin resembles the work of John Williams in that it more than makes up in enthusiasm what it lacks in subtlety.

Author: Ygglune

When Scott Chavez (Herbert Marshall) kills his wife and her lover, he contacts his cousin and former passion Laura Belle (Lillian Gish) and makes arrangements for his daughter Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones) to live with her and her family since he will be executed. On the arrival, Pearl is welcomed by Jesse McCanles (Joseph Cotton), the younger son of Belle that is a lawyer that brings her to the huge ranch Spanish Bit that belongs to his father, the invalid Senator McCanles (Lionel Barrymore) that lives on a wheelchair. Pearl is also welcomed by Laura Belle, but the Senator is cold and ironic with her, calling her half-breed. Soon Pearl meets Belle's older son Lewton 'Lewt' McCanles (Gregory Peck), who is a scoundrel and a wolf, and he tells his intentions to her. One night, Lewt forces Pearl and she submits to him and she becomes ashamed and angry with Lewt. Meanwhile the railroad is ready to trespass the Spanish Bit fence and the Senator organizes a group of men to defend his real estate. However the railroad people has a court order and the army on their side and Jesse tries to explain the Senator that he should let them in. However the Senator expels his son from the ranch and when Jesse is going to say goodbye to Pearl, he finds Lewt in her room. Jesse leaves Pearl behind and Lewt promises to marry her; but when she learns his real intention, she believes she is trash and becomes her lover.

"Duel in the Sun" is a melodramatic soap opera in the Old West, with detestable characters. Jennifer Jones does not fit to the role of a naive young woman and the viewer does not feel sorrow for her due to her promiscuous behavior. Gregory Peck has an excellent performance in the role of a scum. David O. Selznick's pretension to make a film comparable with "Gone with the Wind" is quite absurd. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Duelo ao Sol" ("Duel in the Sun")

Author: FireWater

A half-Indian girl named Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones) is torn between the two sons of a wealthy cattle baron. Jesse (Joseph Cotten) is the educated, mannered 'nice' one. Lewt (Gregory Peck) is a ladies' man and a bad boy. We can tell which is which because the good one typically wears lighter colors and the bad one wears darker colors. Helpful. Pearl just can't resist Lewt no matter how bad he treats her. Leave your political correctness at the door, folks. This one's got a little something to offend almost everybody.

Extravagant "epic" western from David O. Selznick was an attempt to achieve the same success of Gone with the Wind. It's pure tawdry hokum. Yet another starring vehicle for Selznick's protégé (and future wife), Jennifer Jones. I've never been a huge fan of hers. She's certainly attractive enough, with her high cheekbones and radiant smile. I even find her lisp endearing. But she was a very limited actress. Usually she was cast in sensitive parts where she spoke most of her lines in a whispery tone while soft music played. Here she plays to the rafters, hamming it up so loudly she makes Hedy Lamarr's performance in White Cargo seem subtle. Starring with Jones are Gregory Peck and her frequent costar, Joseph Cotten, one of the few male leads the jealous Selznick trusted around his lady love. Cotten is perfect (when wasn't he?) but Peck is miscast and overacts even worse than Jones. The absurd ending with those two is justifiably infamous. The rest of the cast is made up of exceptional talents like Lionel Barrymore, Lillian Gish, Walter Huston, Harry Carey, and Herbert Marshall. The Dimitri Tiomkin score is fantastic. The sets and costumes are lavish, as they should be given the high production values this one had. The Technicolor is gorgeous. The script is laughably awful. Some of the dialogue these poor people have to say is just cringeworthy. Overall, it's a movie low on substance but high on spectacle. It keeps you interested throughout, despite its flaws (and maybe because of them). Definitely warrants a look but not everybody's cup of tea, for sure.

Author: Zuser

Really, really bad movie, but kinda fun to watch as pure, original camp that started it all for the epic westerns like Giant and The Big Country that came later which copied the strong patriarch ranch owner role that Lionel Barrymore chewed to little tiny pieces in this one. What a total hambone he was here!

Lillian Gish as the mother was by far the best thing in the film and she was nearly the only one who played it straight, along with her son Joe Cotton in another good guy role. Her other son Greg Peck as a bad guy, sensual Jennifer Jones as his sexpot half-breed lover, and Walter Huston in a small role as a preacher/sheriff, all played it as ultra-soap opera as they could get away with, with writer/director David O. Selznick(records say King Vidor was the director but this film has the Selznick stamp all over it; much falsification in those days about who did what) probably clapping and urging them on to greater depths and shamelessness. His other and much more successful soaper Gone With The Wind was the original that he tried to almost copy here with its gigantic scope and overbearing and melodramatic scoring backing every single scene with overblown operatic passion. In contrast, the restored Technicolor was truly great, and looked as modern as today(or even better. Technicolor was and is the best). Really beautiful color and the very best thing(the only great thing)in the entire film.

The story was so trivial and ridiculous in its view of love and barely cloaked sex, and was also an hour too long and nearly as moronic as could be at the end, as the "I love you, I hate you, I shot you, oh no, I shot you and then you shot me" excuse for dialog made me laugh out loud and wonder what they were smoking when the actors said it and the bosses approved it. Most viewers laughed at it and panned it too when it premiered, but due to its gigantic scope for the era it did help lead Hollywood into the huge epic western films of the '50s. So, it did do something right, albeit indirectly and unintentionally.

The obvious man-made, totally fake howl of a coyote near the end summed it all up for me... fake coyote howl, fake Southern California and Arizona locations standing in for Texas, fake sunsets and rain clouds painted in, fake horseback riding.....all typical effects for that day, yes, but they appeared really cheesy in a super expensive film that proved that Selznick/Vidor could not see these detractions for what they were and could not make a realistic film to save his life, no matter how much he spent. Thus, Selznick made a cartoon dud starring his truly gorgeous "girlfriend"(he was married), the beautiful Ms. Jones.

Author: Tejora

Rarely does such a great cast turn in such a terrible performance. The acting borders on parody most of the movie, and in truth, this film is almost fodder for the bots on MST3000.

* The great actress, Lillian Gish, is relegated to playing a Southern belle. Her death scene was almost too painful to watch.

* Lionel Barrymore is never out of character, even when the role calls for it. He utters the lines that signify mood changes, but you don't believe them for a minute.

* Joseph Cotton plays a southern dandy - on a ranch in Texas no less - and looks utterly bored the entire time.

* Gregory Peck is supposed to be the bad son, but the writers couldn't seem to make up their minds whether to make him a sympathetic character of not. He winds up acting goofy instead.

* Jennifer Jones is buried in awful makeup and plays dumb most of the movie.

* Charles Bickford appears suddenly, falls in love with Jones, asks her to marry him - again, you don't believe it for a minute - and is gunned down, all in the space of about ten minutes.

* Walter Huston has a bit role as a preacher, and hams up the few scenes he appears in.

* Butterfly McQueen appears way too much and is so annoying you want to strangle her.

By far the best acting performance is turned in by Dice, the horse Peck gives to Jones early in the film.

Author: Gabar

I really disliked this movie. Although this was a pet project by the normally successful David O. Selznick, this film featuring his mistress (Jennifer Jones) just seems stupid. Yes, stupid. It's hard to imagine having that big a budget and such wonderful actors and still having a 2nd-rate film. That's because Joseph Cotton, Gregory Peck, Lillian Gish, Lionel Barrymore and Charles Bickford and all the rest of this fine cast couldn't overcome the basic fact that the script is silly and trashy. Now I do not mean trashy as in "dirty"--I mean it more like a cheap dime novel with a lot of innuendo and sass. While this might have worked well as a B-picture, as a first-tier film it just looks all wrong. As a result, the characters some of the stars must play are 2-dimensional and stupid--and completely miscast. Jennifer Jones as a sex kitten? No way could she pull this off--remember, folks, this is the same actress that played St. Bernadette! And Gregory Peck as a whore-mongering evil son? Nah,...he just seems like he's too nice a guy to play such a jerk. Unless you are a die-hard fan, this movie is imminently skip-able. This film only barely merits 4 stars because it is pretty to look at, the ending is very good and a few of the performances are excellent (such as Joseph Cotton as the "good" son).

Author: Shaktiktilar

It is common for people to say that DUEL IN THE SUN was an attempt (one of several) for David Selznick to repeat his greatest production success in Hollywood. He had produced GONE WITH THE WIND, and tried repeatedly to duplicate it. It was impossible. I feel the closes he got was with SINCE YOU WENT AWAY, which is still a very moving film showing the alterations World War II caused on the home front. But his films with Hitchcock (including REBECCA and SUSPICION and NOTORIOUS and SPELLBOUND) and DUEL IN THE SUN and A FAREWELL TO ARMS all fall short. This does not mean the films are negligible. Most of the Hitchcock-Selznick partnership films are damned good, and one finds even A FAREWELL TO ARMS worth watching. But GONE WITH THE WIND, despite the stereotypes Margaret Mitchell put into it, showed the collapse of a whole way of life in this country a century earlier due to the Civil War. It can't be reproduced in a western - the west was an entirely different problem of survival in a hostile atmosphere - not one that had built up a set of institutions (unfortunately including slavery) and traditions that were just destroyed.

Still DUEL IN THE SUN tries hard, and succeeds to some extent. The story is one of racism in 19th Century Texas. The McCandless Family (Lionel Barrymore, Lillian Gish, Joseph Cotton, and Gregory Peck) are Texas royalty (in a sense) with a huge estate. It is supposed to be the equivalent of Tara in GONE WITH THE WIND. Into their world comes Lillian's cousin, Jennifer Jones, whose father was Mexican (the father was Herbert Marshall). Marshall kills his wife and her lover at the start of the film, and is hanged (his execution scene is very moving actually, as he willingly accepts his death but regrets the loss of his contact with his daughter). Barrymore hates the girl - she is part Mexican and part Indian (he refers to her as "Pocahontas" at one point), and he hates her dead father, who may have had an affair with Gish. Barrymore favors his son Peck over the more civilized Cotton, and the latter is aware of this. Peck is quite charismatic, but he is also quite a murderous type. Luke McCandless was the wickedness villain Peck played prior to the film THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL thirty years later.

Jones' Pearl Chavez is also wicked in her ways, using her attractiveness to destroy men (Cotton and Peck are both interested in her, as is Charles Bickford). She likes Cotton, but her inner sense realizes that she and Peck are very much the same, and she wishes to win him. But Peck is too uncontrollable, and he and Jones rarely get their chemistry together properly.

There are some good moments: the death of Gish, when she confronts Barrymore on her death bed and the wind and rain push her porch rocking chair back and forth as she leaves this world. Or when Peck destroys a railroad track with dynamite, and starts humming, "I've Been Working On The Railroad"!

The film got the nickname (since taken by a comedy that starred Divine and Tab Hunter back in the 1980s) of LUST IN THE DUST. This was due to the odd conclusion of the film. 1946/47 was a year where twice men and women killed each other in films. Orson Welles (who narrates the start of this film) would direct THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI the following year, wherein Rita Hayward and Everett Sloane shoot each other in a crazy house hall of mirrors. But they really hated each other in that film. Here a desperate Jones shoots Peck to prevent him from killing Cotton, and he returns the favor. Both bleeding to death from multiple wounds they crawl to each other and die in a final embrace. The mutual shooting has been subject to much interpretation. My guess is that the two characters were just so super-sexed that it was impossible to imagine them riding off together into married bliss. Possibly they just had to destroy each other - certainly nobody else could have satisfied their desires. Whatever the reason, it was the final reason that the film remains so memorable to this day.

Author: Lavivan

This melodramatic film should have been a silent! The sexually excessive acting of Jennifer Jones became very tedious, and her movements should belong in the silent era.Ms Jones was not the only one who was stereotyped in this film, the old man McCanles is a representation of the old attitudes of the pioneers, and is explicitly racist.The landscape shots came straight out of 'Gone With the Wind'( how could Selznick top it?) The film followed obvious Western conventions, including the representation of what it means to be an Indian. This threat however, comes from other Western texts, yet in the opening sequence, Pearl's dancer mother represents the erotic 'other' based on that presumtion, and we know that Pearl will follow suit, when we see her dancing outside the saloon to some children. Above all,the excessive spectacle moments,the over-erotizising of Pearl, and far too many red sunsets had me rolling in the isles!

Author: Iphonedivorced

Synopsis: Pearl Chavez, (Jennifer Jones), the half-breed daughter of Scott Chavez, (an American), and his Native American wife, (Tilly Losch), is left orphaned when her father shoots her mother and her mother's lover after they blatantly flaunt their affair in public. As Pearl's father is about to be hanged for these murders, he tells Pearl that he has made arrangements for her to live with his second cousin, Laura Belle McCanles, (Lillian Gish), and hopefully she will be given all the chances to improve her lot in life that she deserves. Laura Belle and Scott were once in love, but Laura Belle chose to marry a rich Texan, Senator Jackson McCanles, (Lionel Barrymore), in stead, and said Senator is not too happy to have Pearl in his house because she is a half-breed and the daughter of his wife's great love. The Senator and Laura Belle have two sons, Jesse, (Joseph Cotton), and Lewton, (Gregory Peck). Jesse is a lawyer and is very thoughtful while Lewton is a violent, spoiled man-boy. Pearl immediately falls for Jesse, but Lewton wants her for his own. Pearl struggles with her emotional attraction to Jesse and her physical attraction to Lewton. Neither one will marry her, (for different reasons), and her confusion and actions become more erratic as her love/lust and inevitable disappointment grows. Pearl tries to break free from her situation, but is never able to. This all leads to a tragic shootout where death seems to be the only salvation.

Recommendations: Legendary director, King Vidor, creates an epic western more in line with Gone With The Wind than Stagecoach. He masterfully directs and frames each shot in beautiful Technicolor. The acting is very good from the usual suspects, Gregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, Herbert Marshall, Joseph Cotton, Walter Huston, (as the Preacher/Sinkiller), Charles Bickford, (as Sam Pierce the man who may be Pearl's last chance at happiness), Harry Carey, (as Lem Smoot, an old friend of the Senator's), and Butterfly McQueen, (as Vashti the maid). With all that talent around I still must state that it is Jennifer Jones and Lillian Gish that make this epic worth watching. Jennifer Jones does a brilliant job with one of the most complex characters I have ever seen put to film and Lillian Gish, especially in her final seen with Lionel Barrymore, is so exceptional that words escape me. I can not imagine these two performances ever being replicated or improved upon. A visually stunning film with two great performances to sweeten the entire experience. Well worth a look.

Author: Steelrunner

Well, it's obvious that Selznick was trying his best to recapture that GWTW magic...but this is an unbelievably inept failure. Here's what you can expect from this overblown sex-western:

--Jennifer Jones (in pancake make-up so orange that she put me more in mind of an Oompa-Loompa than the half-breed we're supposed to see) apparently directed to act as though she's Scarlett O'Hara with a lobotomy and bad grammar.

--Gregory Peck as rogue murdering rapist and the apple of his daddy's eye. At one point even doing a pretty decent vocal imitation of Clark Gable -- too bad it's just the voice.

--Lionel Barrymore lazily repeating his "It's a Wonderful Life" role from the same year -- wheelchair & grumpiness standing in for effort.

--Butterfly McQueen as kerchiefed ditzy maid. Hmmm, wonder where they got that idea?

All in all, a miserable movie experience. You'd think that since they cribbed from the best it'd have turned out better! Go figure.

Author: JoJolar

When this movie was made 1946) I was 16 years old and in love with Jennifer Jones, so any movie that she was in was all right with me. I enjoyed the movie than and I still enjoy it every time I see it,even though the story line is trite and at times a little "corny". (I just finished watching it on Turner Classic Movies)

Author: Mamuro

The Selznick-Vidor production Duel In the Sun was camp even before the word was invented, and as such holds up remarkably well. At times I sense that I'm laughing with rather than at the actors (such as racist Lionel Barrymore referring to Jennifer Jones' half-breed as "Pocahontas, Minnehaha,--Minnie Ha Ha!"). The story revolves around Miss Jones' character of Pearl Chavez, a half-Indian girl who comes to stay with some distant relatives, and who inadvertently turns their place upside down by having affairs with both sons of paterfamilias Barrymore! There are murders, shoot-outs, a train wreck, a lot of fast horse riding and some very orange, almost bloody Texas sky, with most of the action taking place on a ranch that makes the one in Giant look puny by comparison.

Some of the casting is more than a bit peculiar, such as Charles Bickford's love-struck ranch foreman, and Lillian Gish's over-refined frontier ma, but these are minor quibbles. Gregory Peck, as the bad son, looks right and handles himself well on a horse, though he lacks the electricity of a young Gable I sense that he and producer David Selznick were aiming for. Joseph Cotten fares better as the sanctimonious good son, while Barrymore is, as noted earlier, a riot, and gives the most satisfying performance in the movie. Dimitri Tiomkin's score punctuates the action with a pulsating sensuality, and the western vistas are breathtaking. For lovers of forties kitsch this one is a must-see.

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Jennifer Jones	-	Pearl Chavez
	Joseph Cotten	-	Jesse McCanles
	Gregory Peck	-	Lewton 'Lewt' McCanles
	Lionel Barrymore	-	Sen. Jackson McCanles
	Herbert Marshall	-	Scott Chavez
	Lillian Gish	-	Laura Belle McCanles
	Walter Huston	-	The Sinkiller
	Charles Bickford	-	Sam Pierce
	Harry Carey	-	Lem Smoot
	Joan Tetzel	-	Helen Langford
	Tilly Losch	-	Mrs. Chavez
	Butterfly McQueen	-	Vashti
	Scott McKay	-	Sid
	Otto Kruger	-	Mr. Langford
	Sidney Blackmer	-	The Lover

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