Sunrise (1927)

Winner of 3 Academy Awards:

Best Unique and Artistic Picture

Fox

Best Actress

Janet Gaynor

Best Cinematography

Charles Rosher

Karl Struss

Nominated for 1 Academy Award:

Best Art Direction

Rochus Gliese

It won 3 Oscars out of a total of 4 nominations in 1927-28.


Sunrise, or Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, is a story of no place and every place.  It follows the relationship of a peasant and his wife, whose marriage is thrown into turmoil after the man is tempted into seduction by a woman from the city, and haunted by murderous thoughts.  The couple struggles to renew their love for one another, slowly building to an unforeseeable climax.

This film is credited with being the only unofficial “Best Picture” winner.  That is to say, it won the first and only Academy Award for Best Unique and Artistic Picture.  This category, along with Best Production, would be consolidated into one category the following year, and Best Production would retroactively be credited as the official “Best Picture” winner of 1927-28.  This is, of course, a giant asterisk to accompany the first year of the Academy Awards.


Editorial:

My enthusiasm for this film cannot adequately be expressed in words.  It is one of the greatest silent films that I have ever seen.  There is no question.  You truly have to see this film in order to believe what it can accomplish.

The photography in Sunrise is some of the most phenomenal work you will see, not only from this period of film, but of any period.  It works to create a visual story while also allowing the viewer to understand the thoughts, internal struggles and emotional depths of the characters.

Score  |  09/10  |  This motion picture may be required viewing.