Search - Duel in the Sun on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Not For Children Movie Release: 1946 DVD Release: 05/25/2004 Format: DVD Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 26 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Drama, Western, Romantic Drama, Melodrama, Epic Western See Also: Duel in the Sun, Duel in the Sun [Roadshow Edition]

In David O. Selznick's Duel in the Sun, Jennifer Jones stars as Pearl Chavez, whom everyone has tagged as a "bad girl" foredoomed to an unhappy end. She is taken into the home of wealthy, greedy rancher McCanles (Lionel Barrymore) and his kindly wife Laura Belle (Lillian Gish), who'd once been the sweetheart of Pearl's recently executed father (Herbert Marshall). Almost immediately, Pearl becomes the object of an emotional tug-of-war between McCanles' virtuous son Jesse (Joseph Cotten) and wicked ne'er-do-well offspring Lewt (Gregory Peck). After killing a man (Charles Bickford) who'd tried proposing to Pearl, Lewt becomes a fugitive, secretly working to undermine the railroad that threatens to cut across McCanles' land. The level-headed Jesse tries to negotiate with the railroad men, and as a result is ordered from the ranch by McCanles. While all this is going on, Pearl, sick to death of being told what a bad job she is, decides to become the Jezebel everyone assumes she is. Duel in the Sun was based on the novel by Niven Busch, who'd written the work hoping that his wife Teresa Wright would play Pearl--but that was before Selznick fell head over heels in love with Jennifer Jones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Griff Barnett - The Jailer
Jennifer Jones - Pearl Chavez
Gregory Peck - Lewt McCanles
Charles Bickford - Sam Pierce
Joseph Cotten - Jesse McCanles
Lionel Barrymore - Senator McCanles
Sidney Blackmer - The Lover
Harry Carey - Lem Smoot
Lillian Gish - Laura Belle McCanles

Duel in the Sun is often mentioned by the great Martin Scorsese as a film he saw as a young child that had a profound effect on his young sensibilities. Although the film has been given a few DVD releases, this particular disc is a simple bare-bones affair. The film is presented in a standard full-frame transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include the original theatrical trailer. This is a fine, if less than extra-filled, edition of the movie. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide