THE SUN COMES UP

US, 1949, 93 minutes. Colour.
Jeanette Mac Donald, Lloyd Nolan, Claude Jarman Jr, Lewis Stone, Percy Kilbride, Margaret Hamilton, Dwayne Hickman, Lassie.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.

The Sun Comes Up was the last feature film for Jeanette Mac Donald. From 1929 to 1942 she appeared in many musicals, especially those with Nelson Eddy. After The Sun Comes Up she made only three television appearances but worked on stage.

Jeanette Mac Donald was considered the queen of Hollywood in 1939, an operatic singer. She gets the chance in this film to sing some excerpts from opera. However, this is a Lassie film – although Jeanette Mac Donald holds her own with Lassie.

The film was directed by veteran Richard Thorpe, a director of many genres at MGM. The film was based on a novel by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, whose life was portrayed in Cross Creek with Mary Steenburgen and Malcolm Mc Dowell. Rawlings was the author of the novel, The Yearling, successfully filmed in 1946 with Jane Wyman and Gregory Peck – and with Claude Jarman Jr as the boy. A few years later, he appears as an older boy, an orphan who works for Jeanette Mac Donald, hoping that she will adopt him. At this time he also made the strong racial issues drama, Intruder in the Dust.

There is a good supporting cast including Lewis Stone, looking older and heavier as an agent. Margaret Hamilton is a nosy neighbour. However, the standout support performance is from Percy Kilbride, at the time of the Ma and Pa Kettle early films, as the owner of a local store, full of commonsense sayings.

The Technicolor is bright, the style is old-fashioned – but will appeal to those who are fond of films from the golden years of Hollywood as well as, of course, Lassie films. The basic plot with the opera singer, caring for her son, her son’s death, her retirement and other adult issues may be too much for little children’s attention.

1. A pleasing old-fashioned Lassie film? Lassie and audience liking of the Lassie stories? The appearance and performance of the dog? A Jeanette MacDonald? vehicle, her strong screen presence, her singing?

2. The New York settings, the opera? Apartments? The contrast with the South, the mountains, the small town, the home in the countryside? The bright colour photography?

3. The music, the songs, the operatic excerpts?

4. The story of Helen Winter, the concern for her son? Pampering him? At the opera? Her return, the performance? Her son outside, Lassie’s arrival, his running across the street, his death? The blow to Helen? Her illness, confining herself to bed and her room?

5. Her agent, his persuading her to perform? Her change of heart? Her decision to go to the country?

6. Her driving through the town, the encounter with Mr Willie Good? The house? The absent owner? Her settling in? Jerry and his arrival, offering to do the work? Her initial refusal?

7. Jerry, a fine young boy, good-mannered, hardworking? The background orphanage? His wanting to be adopted? With the other orphans, the gang? The ride in Helen’s car? His pretending her had a mother? The effect on Jerry, Helen’s absences?

8. Mr Williegood, his wisdom, his laconic way? Jumping from the cash register? Not carrying the goods – with one exception? His knowing everything about everyone? With the nosy neighbours? Giving advice to Helen? Of befriending the children? Of supplies? Supporting Jerry?

9. Thomas Chandler, his arrival, the owner of the house, the friendship with Helen? His concern about Jerry, looking after him? A future?

10. The effect of Jerry’s presence on Helen, her growing concern, his taking the place of her son? Her concern about his mother? Wanting to meet her? Her decision to resume her opera career, the phone calls and the telegrams – and people being nosy? The snuff and the visit to Mrs Golightly? Making friends?

11. The orphans, with Jerry? His going back to the orphanage? The work, his becoming ill, collapsing? Chandler looking after him? Helen and her concern? Taking care? Her leaving, intending to meet Jerry’s mother? The return? Chandler telling her the truth?

12. The background of the neighbours, the people in the countryside? Support? Nosy?

13. The contrast between the world of opera and performance with that of the countryside?

14. The role of Lassie, as a pet, as being saved by Helen’s son, her not wanting Lassie? Lassie travelling with her? In the house, coming to depend on Lassie? The friendship between Jerry and Lassie? The scenes together? The build-up to the finale, Jerry in the attic, locked in, the fire, the fire brigade? Jerry at the window, Lassie going in, opening the door? Rescuing Jerry?

15. This film contributing to the popularity of Lassie films in the 1940s?