The Sun Was Setting

The Sun Was Setting (1951)

** (out of 4)

June (Angela Stevens) was given six months to live and she's already gone through four of them when she asks her friend Paul (Tom Keene) to take her out for one last great night even though it could cause her end to be rushed.

THE SUN WAS SETTING was written, produced and directed by the one and only Edward D. Wood, Jr. so obviously fans of his will want to check this out. It was basically shot for television and for the most part it's easy to see why it didn't get him a lot of directing jobs but at the same time it's not the worst thing you'll ever see.

I will admit that Wood at least managed to make the film quite depressing as he certainly doesn't hold any punches with the subject matter or its twists but at the same time the dialogue makes it quite over-dramatic. I'd also argue that the performances aren't the greatest thing out there either.

Still, at just 14 minutes the film isn't boring and is at least better made than some of the films Wood would direct down the road.

Here's my very quick and basic review of this movie. Considering the main character is dying, she sure looks awfully healthy and robust. She's all dressed up and ready to go to town at the end of the movie, and... her time's up! She dies like someone slowly flipped off her switch in about 20 seconds' time. Wow.

Angela Stevens, of whom I know nothing, but soon will, is so obviously a superlative actress, it annoys me I have not already been a fan.

Richard Powers is, at other times, Tom Keene, and he perfectly conveys the right attitude and emotions of this short, and what else can we call it but "soap opera" -- and meaning it as a purely cordial description.

One of my favorites is Phyllis Coates, a gorgeous and talented woman who might be best known as one of the "Lois Lane" portrayers but who deserves more than that.

Ed Wood gets laughed at, usually. But except for some editing flaws, which might not be his fault in the print I saw, this is a well-done and emotion-packed film.

The print at YouTube is pretty good, except for the editing goofs, which really do look added.

But any research into Ed Wood must include this moving little short, apparently intended for TV, and it will be proven Wood does not deserve only ridicule.