Sunrise

Imported from Germany to lend class to Hollywood's new Fox studio, the great expressionist filmmaker, F.W. Murnau, did exactly that with this affecting, visually intoxicating 1927 masterpiece about a troubled young country couple (George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor) whose marital bonds are renewed during a day in the city. [12 Mar 1998]

Murnau's silent masterpiece about a troubled young country couple (Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien), a vamp from the city (Margaret Livingstone), murder plots, fate and redemption contains some of the most glorious visual set-pieces in the history of cinema. [01 Aug 2008, p.C8]

Sunrise remains a magnificent tale of adultery and forgiveness, and contains more lessons in visual storytelling in any given five-minute sequence than most film schools deliver in a semester.

A near masterpiece...The story is told in a flowing, lyrical German manner that is extraordinarily sensual, yet is perhaps too self-conscious, too fable-like for American audiences.

A horn of cinematic plenty continuously spills from Sunrise, not only in its production design and Murnau’s dreamlike images (rendered by a pair of American cinematographers in the German émigré’s first Hollywood film), but in an unswerving commitment to the varied tones of screenwriter Carl Mayer’s scenario.

Murnau's first Hollywood film and one of the last great silent movies.

Sunrise is a distinguished contribution to the screen, made in this country, but produced after the best manner of the German school. 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.

F.W. Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is a visually stunning silent film that blends German Expressionism with Hollywood's commercial sensibilities. Released in 1927, it tells the story of a man torn between his loyal wife and a seductive woman from the city. The film's groundbreaking cinematography, use of synchronized sound, and symbolic imagery earned it critical acclaim, including Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Actress (Janet **** film's characters, intentionally unnamed, represent universal themes of love, infidelity, and redemption. The wife is portrayed as pure and nurturing, while the woman from the city, with her dark, seductive appearance, embodies danger and temptation. This contrast heightens the emotional conflict faced by the husband, who is torn between these two opposing forces.Murnau's use of symbolism is key, particularly in the scene where the husband contemplates murder, symbolized by the reeds. The reeds, initially linked to death, later become a symbol of survival and hope. The film’s use of expressive visuals, such as the surreal transformation of the station’s drawing into reality, creates a dreamlike atmosphere that complements the story’s emotional **** contrasting locations— the modest village of the couple and the unsettling, chaotic home of the woman from the city— visually reinforce the moral struggles of the characters. The city represents temptation, while the rural landscape symbolizes purity and redemption. This duality is further explored through the husband's physical transformation, signaling his emotional and moral redemption as he seeks forgiveness and **** final scenes, where the couple reunites after a storm, powerfully symbolize renewal. The sun, once a symbol of infidelity, now represents love and marital purity, marking the film's emotional climax.Sunrise is a timeless cinematic masterpiece, blending innovative techniques, rich symbolism, and compelling performances to tell a universal story of love, guilt, and redemption.

Простенькая драма про «заблудшего» мужа. Фильм примечателен разве что тем, что это первая картина с музыкальным и шумовым оформлением, записанным по технологии «Мувитон». Ну и сценой с пьяным поросёнком =)