Sunset (1988 Film)
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''Sunset'' is a 1988 American
crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...
mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' *Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...
western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
film written and directed by
Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio scripts ...
and starring
Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and has appeared in over one hundred films, gaining ...
as
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
actor
Tom Mix Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western (genre), Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were s ...
, who teams up with lawman
Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman in the American West, including Dodge City, Kansas, Dodge City, Wichita, Kansas, Wichita, and Tombstone, Arizona, Tombstone. Earp was involved in the gunfight ...
, portrayed for the second time in a
theatrical film A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation ...
by
James Garner James Scott Garner (né Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, which included ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy Ch ...
. Based on an unpublished novel by
Rod Amateau Rodney Amateau (December 20, 1923 – June 29, 2003) was an American film and television screenwriter, director, and producer. Career Among the programs that he directed were '' The Dennis Day Show'', ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', ...
, the plot has Earp and Mix solve a murder in Hollywood in 1929. Although ''Sunset'' had some comedic elements, it veered much more to the period mystery genre of old Hollywood. Reviewers, such as
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
, struggled trying to define the film. Ebert noted: "The strangest thing about ''Sunset'' is that it's not a comedy, not exactly. It has some laughs, but it's a sort of low-key, elegiac mood film ..." While Willis received top billing in ''Sunset'', Garner has more screen time in the film. This was the second and final film in which Garner played Wyatt Earp, the first being
John Sturges John Eliot Sturges (; January 3, 1910 – August 18, 1992) was an American film director. His films include '' Bad Day at Black Rock'' (1955), '' Gunfight at the O.K. Corral'' (1957), ''The Magnificent Seven'' (1960), '' The Great Escape'' (19 ...
's ''
Hour of the Gun ''Hour of the Gun'' is a 1967 Western film depicting Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday during their 1881 battles against Ike Clanton and his brothers in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and the gunfight's aftermath in and around Tombstone, Arizona. ...
'', released in 1967. This was director Edwards's second and final collaboration with Willis, whom he directed in ''
Blind Date A blind date is a romantic meeting between two people who have never met before. Both parties arrange a date with little to no information about each other, hoping for the possibility of making a lasting impression. Typically, a family member or ...
'' (1987).


Plot

In Hollywood in the late 1920s, during the waning days of the industry's transition to
sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...
, producer and studio head Alfie Alperin wants to produce an
epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...
Western film about
Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman in the American West, including Dodge City, Kansas, Dodge City, Wichita, Kansas, Wichita, and Tombstone, Arizona, Tombstone. Earp was involved in the gunfight ...
.
Tom Mix Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western (genre), Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were s ...
is cast as the great
United States Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...
and the real Earp is on the set as a technical adviser. While Earp and Mix, the "real" and "reel" western heroes, are involved in their film adventure, they also get caught up in an actual case of murder, prostitution and corruption with vicious gangster Dutch Keiffer. Together, they try to straighten out the problems of the missing son of Earp's former girlfriend, Christina. She is now the wife of studio boss Alfie Alperin and he is not pleased by Earp's investigation. Hostess Cheryl King becomes romantically involved with Earp. Alfie's sister, Victoria Alperin, is dating a notorious mobster and all three were at the scene of the murder of Madam Candice Gerard. Soon Earp unveils the true sadistic character of Alfie Alperin. Two of his accomplices, studio Chief of Studio Police Dibner, whose interest is in protecting Alperin, and corrupt Capt. Blackworth, turn nasty. Mix and Earp get to fight a real gunfight at a real isolated ranch, with Mix telling Earp "I wish there was a camera here" before drawing a real gun. After the death of Christina, matters become personal for Earp, leading to the explosive climax between Mix, Alperin, and Earp.


Cast

*
Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and has appeared in over one hundred films, gaining ...
as
Tom Mix Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western (genre), Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were s ...
*
James Garner James Scott Garner (né Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, which included ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy Ch ...
as
Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman in the American West, including Dodge City, Kansas, Dodge City, Wichita, Kansas, Wichita, and Tombstone, Arizona, Tombstone. Earp was involved in the gunfight ...
*
Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's ''if....'' (1968), a role he later reprised in ''O Lucky Man!'' (1973) and ''Britannia Hospital ...
as Alfie Alperin *
Mariel Hemingway Mariel Hemingway (born November 22, 1961) is an American actress. She began acting at age 14 with a Golden Globe-nominated breakout role in ''Lipstick'' (1976), and she received Academy and BAFTA Award nominations for her performance in Woody Al ...
as Cheryl King *
Kathleen Quinlan Kathleen Denise Quinlan (born November 19, 1954) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in the 1977 film of the novel ''I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (film), I Never Promised ...
as Nancy Shoemaker *
Jennifer Edwards Jennifer Edwards (born March 25, 1957) is an American actress. She came to national prominence for her role in the 1968 NBC made-for-television movie ''Heidi''. Career Edwards's best known role was the NBC made-for-television movie ''Heidi'' ( ...
as Victoria Alperin *
Patricia Hodge Patricia Ann Hodge (born 29 September 1946) is an English actress. She is known on-screen for playing Phyllida Erskine-Brown in '' Rumpole of the Bailey'' (1978–1992), Jemima Shore in '' Jemima Shore Investigates'' (1983), Penny in '' Miranda ...
as Christina Alperin * Richard Bradford as Captain Blackworth * M. Emmet Walsh as Chief Dibner *
Joe Dallesandro Joseph Angelo D'Allesandro III (born December 31, 1948) is an American actor and Warhol superstar. He was a sex symbol of gay subculture in the 1960s and 1970s, and of several American underground films before going mainstream. Dallesandro star ...
as "Dutch" Kieffer * Andreas Katsulas as Arthur *
Dann Florek Ezekial Dann Florek (born May 1, 1950) is an American actor and film director. He is best known for his role as New York City Police Captain Donald Cragen on NBC's ''Law & Order'' and its spinoff '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', and Dave ...
as Marty Goldberg * Bill Marcus as Hal Flynn * Michael C. Gwynne as "Mooch" *
Dermot Mulroney Dermot Patrick Mulroney (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is known for his roles in a wide variety of genres, including romantic comedy, western, and drama films. After making his film debut in ''Sunset'' (1988), Mulro ...
as Michael Alperin * Jeffrey Briar as
Stan Laurel Stan Laurel ( ; born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, director and writer who was in the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 sh ...
* Bevis Faversham as
Oliver Hardy Oliver Norvell Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was an American comic actor and one half of Laurel and Hardy, the double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted from 1926 to 1957. He appeared with his ...
* John Fountain as John Gilbert *
Peter Jason Peter Edward Ostling (July 22, 1944 – February 20, 2025), better known as Peter Jason, was an American character actor. He often played military personnel, law enforcement agents, and authority figures in both films and television series. Earl ...
as Frank Coe


Historical context

Although largely fictitious, the story does contain elements of historical fact. ''Sunset'' depicts Wyatt Earp as a technical advisor to a fictional Tom Mix film of the Gunfight at the OK Corral, in which Mix portrays the famous western marshal. Earp had been living in the Los Angeles area since about 1910. He had served as an unpaid technical adviser on some early silent
Westerns The Western is a genre of fiction typically set in the American frontier (commonly referred to as the "Old West" or the "Wild West") between the California Gold Rush of 1849 and the closing of the frontier in 1890, and commonly associated wit ...
from 1915 on and knew Western stars
William S. Hart William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and integ ...
and Mix. When he died on January 13, 1929, at the age of 80, Earp's funeral featured both Hart and Mix as pallbearers. Both Mix's and Earp's personas are part of the plot in ''Sunset'', with each figure alternately exploiting and deflating their public images. While Earp recounts some of his exploits, dropping names like
Doc Holliday John Henry Holliday (August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887), better known as Doc Holliday, was an American dentistry, dentist, gambling, gambler, and gunfighter who was a close friend and associate of Sheriff, lawman Wyatt Earp. Holliday is b ...
and
Calamity Jane Martha Jane Canary (May 1, 1856 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American American frontier, frontierswoman, Exhibition shooting, sharpshooter, sex worker, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits, she was known f ...
, he remains a taciturn and steadfast former lawman. The gunfight in
Tombstone, Arizona Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Prospecting, prospector Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona, Pima County, Arizona Territory. It became one of the last ...
had lasted only 30 seconds, but it would end up defining Earp for the rest of his life. Mix also deals with his personal story, dismissing much of the conjecture about his origins, yet showing some of the bravado and derring-do that characterized his screen career. He compared himself as a "movie star cowboy" to the made-up heroics of
Buffalo Bill Cody William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age o ...
. His skills as a horseman, however, were faithfully derived from an early life as a cowboy; the impresario personality came later.


Production

Mariel Hemingway, like Bruce Willis and James Garner, signed up for the film for the chance to work with Blake Edwards. Hemingway confessed: "The movie sounded a little chaotic, but it had a secret weapon: it was directed by Blake Edwards who had made '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', a movie that was almost a religion with me. I couldn't pass up the chance to work with him." Garner had fond memories of working with Edwards in ''
Victor/Victoria ''Victor/Victoria'' is a 1982 musical comedy film written and directed by Blake Edwards and starring Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras, and John Rhys-Davies. The film was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Maye ...
'' (1982), and Willis and Edwards had a close working relationship after Willis had made his film debut in Edwards’s ''
Blind Date A blind date is a romantic meeting between two people who have never met before. Both parties arrange a date with little to no information about each other, hoping for the possibility of making a lasting impression. Typically, a family member or ...
''. Throughout the pre-production phases of the film, Edwards counseled his young star that, "... he couldn't rely on the jokes and the leer" that had been his trademark in the ''
Moonlighting Moonlighting may refer to: * Side job, a job taken in addition to one's primary employment Entertainment * ''Moonlighting'' (film), a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski * ''Moonlighting'' (TV series), 1985–1989 American television series, s ...
'' television series (1985–1989). The relationship between the two male leads was not as sunny, however. After filming, Garner said he would never work with Willis again, saying: "Willis is high school. He's not that serious about his work. He thinks he's so clever he can just walk through it, make up dialogue and stuff. I don't think you work that way." A
running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...
throughout the film was that Wyatt Earp cannot drive, though he does so on more than one occasion. Garner was considered an expert stunt driver and did quite a lot of his own driving on his TV series, ''
The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner, aired on NBC from September 13, 1974, to January 10, 1980. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in th ...
'' (1974–1980). Edwards went to great lengths to recreate the 1920s Hollywood era, including a recreation of the 1929 Academy Awards dinner, complete with a mime act that closely resembled the antics of silent screen comedians such as
Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...
. This focus on period detail was noted as one of the serious flaws in the staging of the film. Principal photography on ''Sunset'' took place from April 6, 1987 and wrapped on July 2, 1987. The filming locations included locations in southern California: Ambassador Hotel, 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. For exteriors, the Orange Empire Railroad Museum, Perris, California (railroad scenes) and the Bell Ranch, Santa Susana, California and Melody Ranch, 24715 Oak Creek Avenue, Newhall, California were utilized. Studio work took place at Culver City Studios.


Historical inaccuracies

* The film features Earp attending the
1st Academy Awards The 1st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and hosted by AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks, honored the best 1927 in film, films from 1 August 1927 to 1928 in film, 31 July 1928 a ...
, which took place on May 16, 1929. Historically, Wyatt Earp died on January 13, 1929 (at the age of 80). He was ill prior to his death. * The film omits any mention of Josephine Marcus, who had been Earp's common law wife for over twenty-five years at the time of his death. In 1929, she lived in Los Angeles with Earp.


Soundtrack

The musical soundtrack for ''Sunset'' was scored by
Henry Mancini Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flutist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Awards, ...
. The film features the song "
Black and Tan Fantasy "Black and Tan Fantasy" is a 1927 jazz composition by Duke Ellington and Bubber Miley. The song was recorded several times by Ellington and his Cotton Club band in 1927 for the Brunswick, Victor, and Okeh record labels. The Victor recording w ...
" by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.


Reception


Box office

Studio executives were divided on how to promote ''Sunset'', as most filmgoers would have expected a Blake Edwards film to be a comedy. The trailer began with the catchphrase: "The following story is almost true ... give or take a lie or two" and emphasized comedic scenes. Upon release, ''Sunset'' was a
box office failure A box-office bomb is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the combined production budget, marketing, and distribution costs exceed the revenue after release has te ...
, produced on a $16 million budget, and making only $4.6 million domestically.


Critical

''Sunset'' earned predominately negative reviews from critics and the public alike. Most reviewers noted that Garner's screen presence was the only thing that made the film watchable. Hal Hinson in his review for ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' contrasted the impact of the two male stars: "Ultimately, ''Sunset'' plays like deluxe dinner theater fare. It's a diversion to take along with your after-meal coffee and dessert. Garner's western suavity is the only grace note. Few performers have generated the sort of good will that Garner has, and this may be the most solid work he's ever done in the movies. The figure he cuts is an evocative one. Watching him, you may think you smell a trace of sagebrush." Film critic Robert Horton was scathing in his review of ''Sunset'', calling it "... a moribund movie made by a collection of people who have an abundance of talent. How does a movie like this go wrong?" He laid the blame squarely on Edward's limp direction. "... Edwards seems to have lost his verve. ''Sunset'' crawls along with little conviction or life." Movie historian
Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic, film historian, and author. He is known for his book of film capsule reviews, '' Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'', published from 1969 to 2014. Maltin was the film criti ...
seemed to agree with Horton, calling the picture an "appalling piece of junk, unpleasant and unbelievable from the word go. Willis registers zero playing one of the Western genre's most magnetic stars; only Garner's charisma saves this bomb." On
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the film has an approval rating of 21% based on 14 reviews, with an average score of 3.70/10.


Awards and nominations

Patricia Norris, costume designer for ''Sunset'', was nominated for Best Costume Design at the 1989
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
s. However, winning the 1989
Razzie Award The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic failures. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, the Razzi ...
for Blake Edwards for Worst Director and nominating Mariel Hemingway for Worst Supporting Actress was a dubious distinction.


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* * * *


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sunset 1988 films 1988 crime thriller films 1980s mystery thriller films American buddy films American crime thriller films American mystery thriller films American Western (genre) films 1988 Western (genre) films Films scored by Henry Mancini Films about Hollywood, Los Angeles Films directed by Blake Edwards Films with screenplays by Blake Edwards Films set in 1929 TriStar Pictures films Cultural depictions of Wyatt Earp Cultural depictions of Laurel & Hardy 1980s buddy films Golden Raspberry Award–winning films 1980s English-language films 1980s American films English-language Western (genre) films English-language crime thriller films English-language buddy films English-language mystery thriller films