How did The Sundowners portray a family driving sheep across Australia?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Fred Zinnemann stands between Marlon Brando, left, in a suit, and Montgomery Clift, right, in a tank top, on the set of From Here to Eternity, with lockers in the background. — Fred Zinnemann (From left to right) Marlon Brando, Fred Zinnemann, and Montgomery Clift on the set of *From Here to Eternity* (1953).

In the 1960 film The Sundowners, director Fred Zinnemann portrays the story of a husband and wife, played by Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum, who travel across 1920s Australia with their teenage son. The film, which was shot on location, depicts the family’s arduous journey as they drive a thousand sheep across a thousand miles. Zinnemann deftly conveys this narrative as a story of quiet heroism, earning an Academy Award nomination for his direction of the project.1