Crépuscule sur l'océan

A rickety brigantine puts out to sea for Mexico, but when the pump fails, the resolute Captain, square-jawed Rock Hudson heads to Honolulu for safety. He's plagued by his insolent, diabolical First Mate (Arthur Kennedy, of course) and a cool temptress with a past (Cyd Charisse, of course). The rest of the motley crew and passengers are an eclectic bunch, portrayed by some fine character actors. The plot development is as slow as the voyage and the climactic storm is the low budget kind. But all sea stories, by their nature, are somewhat suspenseful.

I guess Universal was trying to give their own Rock Hudson (a recent Oscar nominee for GIANT) a bit of a stretch. I've read the Ernest K. Gann book, and the potential was here for a good film. But in fact Arthur Kennedy would have done better as the irascible captain, while Hudson would have been better cast as the first mate. This disastrous swap squanders the promise of a well-written (Gann himself) film with a decent veteran director (Pevney).

Twilight for the Gods coul have been a good tittle for a good movie. But is just stay in a good -and incomprehensible- tittle. By another side I sorry confess I did not read author this best seller at all. May be the novel where was based the film was a excellent book but in my opinion the film is a bite long for usual spectators. May be the old sailing ship was too old and the Captain too alcoholic. Any way there are a handful of masochistic traveller gathered round this Captain who insist in travel in spite of the poor appearance. The apathetic and long hear Captain David Bell is Rock Hudson. Miss Charlotte King (an elegant, curved and glorious Cyd Charisse) is quite all right but the rest of the passage is not very interesting to do a trip by the sea with them. That is why the navigation results some long. I personally thank indeed Miss King presence with her cloudy past. The little dog is funny too. Even it likes Cyd Charisse. It means it was a really clever dog. I give 6 (but only for Cyd Charisse).

A long voyage in a leaky vessel. Appropriate metaphor for this aimless, dull film. And Cyd Cherisse away from a dance routine is one of the great bores of the cinema. Please TCM, I beg of you, do not make her SOTM again!

Didn't find it to be that terribly bad...my question is...is this film on video tape anywhere...TNT showed it some years back and since they have changed their format, it's not been seen since...I thought Hudson being an arrogant type was a nice change, not that romantic role that he would settle into. Kennedy as usual was good but I wonder if some weren't happy with Hudson in the lead, apart from Kennedy, who would you have picked to play the role of the Captain and the mate? Hudson would be relegated to the role of hero in years to come apart from his role in "Pretty Maids in A Row" but his role in "Twilight for the Gods"? Pretty darn good.