One of those seminal works without which modern movies wouldn't exist...
Sunrise (1927)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted: 36
Fresh: 35
Rotten:1
Average Rating: 8.8/10
Consensus: Held aloft by director F. W. Murnau's visual genius, Sunrise is one of the greatest silent films ever made, and a wonderful example of the medium's capabilities, then and now. Beautiful, dark and luminous, and astonishing even today, it has exerted a profound influence on countless subsequent films, and represents an undisputed pinnacle of the art form.
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: SUNRISE chronicles the murderous desires--and ultimate repentance--of a wayward husband. Deeply attracted by a sophisticated vamp who worms her way into the couple's simple country existence, the... SUNRISE chronicles the murderous desires--and ultimate repentance--of a wayward husband. Deeply attracted by a sophisticated vamp who worms her way into the couple's simple country existence, the man agrees to take his wife into the city by rowboat...with plans to drown her on the way. In the midst of their journey, however, he realizes he cannot go through with the act. But the pure and innocent wife has already understood what he meant to do. Heartbroken, and with tear-filled eyes, she stumbles away from him through the city streets. Now he must find some way to win her back -- and prevent the fates from punishing him for his misdeeds...Director F.W. Murnau, and cinematographers Charles Rosher and Karl Struss, created stunning expressionist imagery that poignantly captures the characters' complex desires and points-of-view. This is one of the most visually gorgeous and emotionally rich silent films ever made. [More]
Starring: George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, Arthur Housman
Starring: George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, Arthur Housman, J. Farrell MacDonald
Director: F.W. Murnau
Director: F.W. Murnau
Get This Movie
Reviews for Sunrise
In its artistry, dramatic power and graphic suggestion it goes a long way toward realizing the promise of this foreign director in his former works, notably Faust.
[an] unexpectedly harmonious marriage of German expressionism and Hollywood romanticism.
Murnau's visual mastery, his marriage of expressionism, visual lyricism and the daring technological ambition of pre-sound Hollywood, shows silent cinema at its pinnacle.
Released in 1927, the last year of silent film, it's a pinnacle of that lost art.
Moody and melodramatic, a technical treat that grabs hold of the viewer and will not let him go.
One of the finest examples of cinema's artistic flowering at the cusp of the silents-to-sound transition...
This sexy melodrama and intense psychological thriller provides an original and satisfying mix of romanticism, artifice and realism.
Mr. Murnau proves by Sunrise that he can do just as fine work in Hollywood as he ever did in Germany.
F.W. Murnau's Sunrise (1928) conquered time and gravity with a freedom that was startling to its first audiences. To see it today is to be astonished by the boldness of its visual experimentation.
A textbook of silent film techniques and astounding black-and-white cinematography...
Latest News for Sunrise
June 22, 2007:
AFI Announces Top 100 Movies of All Time ... Again
Ten years ago the AFI gave us a list of the Top 100 American Films Ever Made -- and when that was done they churned out 15 other lists every few years. And then last night they... More...
Related Forums for Sunrise
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
79% 79% |
Gran Torino |
30% 30% |
12 Rounds |
23% 23% |
Confessions of a Shopa… |
|
The Code |
39% 39% |
Inkheart |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
22% 22% |
Push |
12% 12% |
The Unborn |
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Sunrise at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.



Top Critic


