Red Sky at Morning (1971) User Reviews (32)

I am old but I remember this as a "hot" teen film

[danadeb · 7/10 · 28 February 2005]

A conversation over dinner tonight prompted my looking up Red Sky At Morning. My husband and I were talking about the old saying Red Sky at Morning which led to the discovery we had both seeing the film in our teens long before we ever met.

One of the funniest lines in the whole film is during a make out scene in the truck and the girl saying "hey that's not a radio knob". I remember my friends laughing over that for weeks. 30 years later - my husband remembers the same line.

Neither one of us could remember much of the plot except, we remember LOVING the movie and wishing we could see it again. It must have made quite an impression.

I had forgotten Desi Arnaz, Jr was even in the film. This must have been about the time he was in Tiger Beat and dating Patty Duke. I am really old to remember that.

I can still remember a voice-over with Richard Thomas reciting "Red Sky at Morning - Sailors Take Warning. Red Sky at Night - Sailors Delight." I think it had a sunrise scene right out of Gone With The Wind. In my youthful ignorance - I thought he was quoting scripture.

Not a great movie but certainly it tried and for horndog hormonal teenagers - memorable.

Wish it was on DVD!

Part of my fictional trilogy

[secretdomineux · 8/10 · 23 July 2012]

I saw this film for the first time in 1976, on television. I, for some reason immediately made a connection to Summer Of '42 (1971) but I don't connect it to Class Of '44 (1973) but rather, complete a trilogy with Baby Blue Marine (1976) Makes me wonder why the 1970's nostalgic films about ww2 home front USA seem so real and authentic, more so than examples from the 1950's or those made more recently.

I love this film, especially the scoring by Billy Goldenberg. I can remember holding a portable cassette recorder up to the television, (circa 1980) to feebly capture some of the beautiful music.

When asked by an online community survey to list favorite films about ww2; I listed the first two films of "my" trilogy right along with Best Years Of Our Lives (1946) and The 49th Parallel (1941)

Before I caught this film on IFC a few years ago, 1980 was the last time I saw it. I was living on the Eastern seaboard then, and I can tell you that the cinematography showcasing the beauty of New Mexico made me homesick for the Western landscapes that I grew up around.

D

Remembered.

[rsgwynn · 8/10 · 23 July 2023]

When you're in your 70s and can remember details about a movie that you saw 50 years ago, it does say something about the quality of the film. I don't think I'd care to watch it again--I'd probably be disappointed--but I'll never forget the look on Richard Thomas's face after he trips and falls into . . . No, I won't do a spoiler. Thomas has always been a fine actor even though his post-Waltons' career has been spotty. Desi Arnaz, Jr., is very fine, and it's a shame that his personal problems ran his career off the rails. And Catherine Burns? Two classic film roles and she was pretty much done with her film career, though she did continue as a writer. This odd little movie deserves a better reception and wider audience than it got. I can't verify its availability on dvd, but I suspect it would still hold up well with younger audiences. Back in the day, you'd had a lot of trouble finding a movie that took teenagers seriously. The enveloping action of World War II is both distant and present. A good comparison with an older movie might mention The Human Comedy, with Mickey Rooney doing a serious role while still being thought of as a "chikd star."

This is a great and grand film.

[rfield-2 · 9/10 · 22 June 2004]

I viewed this film for the first time in a motel room at White Sands, New Mexico in 1997. I was completely bowled over. This was a stunning piece of photography (yes, filmography) and truly touching in its use of apace, fauna, and New Mexico geography. Richard Thomas and Desi Arnez,jr were wonderful. This is a real "coming of age" film. I wish to high heaven it were on video. I was, obviously, quite moved.

The idea of placing characters from the WWII era in a desert,detached setting seemed uninteresting and silly to me, at first. As the film progressed, however, one realizes that World War is always somewhere in the background, a father who could hold it all together gone. What a trial for the young people of this film and we come to understand them and their anxieties.

I have never forgotten this film

[marchill1 · 10/10 · 6 January 2000]

I saw this film out of boredom at my small town theater in 74 and it left a lasting impression on me. I have not seen it since but all the images live on in memory. I can only hope the good people at Universal have the wisdom to release it on video or God willing on D.V.D. I can only hope that you too have experienced this film.

Stirs Up the Memories

[obnox · 8 February 1999]

It was 1971 when I first saw this movie at the Picfair theatre on Fairfax near Pico in Los Angeles. We each coughed up 49 cents to get in and few things in my life have given me more for the money. I think it was the magnificent New Mexico scenery that made the movie extraordinary in my mind - sort of like how a fresh, windswept day after a rain (a rare thing in Southern California) can make even the dreariest of neighborhoods look alive and interesting. This, combined with the moving score, has kept this movie alive for me after all these years. With all the horrid things that appear on video, it truly bugs me that no one had the class to commit this one to tape!

My Favorite Drama/Comedy

[affleck · 10/10 · 2 January 2001]

I saw this movie while stationed in Germany in 1971, about 6 months after reading the book. Both the book and the movie are as perfect as can be, and the movie, as best I can remember, stays absolutely faithful to the book.

Richard Thomas, Catherine Burns, and Desi Arnaz, Jr. play 3 high-school friends in New Mexico, and the movie tells of a few months in their lives during World War II. Part hilarious, part romantic, part exciting, part heart-breaking, and beautiful throughout. No spoilers here, since all of this movie should be a surprise (like E.T.), but it has something for everyone.

As far as I know, Richard Bradford wrote only one other novel, So Far From Heaven, also set in New Mexico, with unrelated characters and plot. It is just as good a book. I found a couple of out-of-print copies at bn.com. It would also make a sensational movie -- I hope someone does it.

Both of these books and the movie were my first introduction to Latino versus Anglo issues, and show both the best and the worst of their relations.

For Richard Thomas, it marked (about) the beginning of a stellar career, and Desi Arnaz, Jr. enjoyed moderate success. Catherine Burns, however, who was excellent in the movie, simply dropped off the radar screens. Again, if anyone knows of anything else she's done, please send email.

Anyway, I'm rambling a bit, but if you EVER get a chance to see this movie, it's worth a lot of trouble and expense. Rating: 10

"There's no use trying to pretend that there isn't any war."

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 25 June 2017]

Not-bad adaptation of Richard Bradford's coming-of-age novel about an Alabama teenager in 1944 relocated with his mother to New Mexico. His naval officer father has left for service, leaving the young man to deal with the culture clash alone, including race relations, a Hispanic bully, a flirtatious tomboy and the destructive behavior of his mother, who doesn't value her reputation. In the lead, Richard Thomas does his affable nervous-teen bit, an overeager colt desperate to fit in with the pack (he's like a G-rated James Dean). He is especially good in his scenes with forthright little Catherine Burns, however the interplay between the young people pales in comparison to Frank Perry's "Last Summer" from 1969 (which featured both Thomas and Burns). Director James Goldstone keeps the pacing brisk, juggling many different episodes, but he doesn't have the knack for this kind of material, which is pitched far too high. ** from ****

Fabulous ...."Neverland" type film.

[jkhobs · 10/10 · 3 November 2005]

Many of the other previous comments have adequately depicted the story line, so my remarks will be addressed more to the essence of the film.

I can think of barely a handful of films over the last fifty years that is so powerfully moving that it can mentally displace you to a time and place of your own youth. You imagine living the movie as it unfolds; the acting is superb, drawing the viewer into its simplistic story lines yet highly desirable setting in the New Mexico southwest. The characters are wonderfully developed throughout the film, which can't help but draw parallel comparisons to one's own family. As it turns through a number of subplots, situational life experiences and the youthful interrelationships, it maintains a special flow to the climatic and heart-touching end. You will find yourself begging for this film to go on and on. If you will allow yourself to be drawn in, this movie will elicit a variety of emotions and become one of your all-time favorites, as it has for me. I can't imagine this film being rated less than a solid '10'!

Overrated but watchable

[gjohann · 5/10 · 2 December 2006]

For 70s completest and those who have nostalgia for it. Had really looked forward to this one after seeing a bunch of the photo stills and reading all the positive reviews. Finally saw it on IFC recently and found it to be real disappointment, Richard Thomas does an almost laughable job of acting. An OK period piece with some interesting moments and nice cinematography, but certainly not worthy of the raves it often gets from those who are remembering their reaction to it back in 1971 rather than the film itself. There are so many great lost films of the 60s and 70s-and then there are some pretentious clinkers-this falls into the later

Underrated coming-of-age film

[ajm-8 · 19 January 2003]

Released in 1971, the same year as two other nostalgic hit movies, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW and SUMMER OF '42, this film has been undeservedly forgotten. A simple story of a Southwest family during World War II, with excellent acting (let me put it this way... even Desi Arnaz, Jr. does a good job), nice dialogue and an attention to period detail. This ain't available on DVD or even VHS, so if you catch it on TV, do yourself a favor and check it out.

Red Sky At Morning

[meyering · 10/10 · 12 March 2005]

I was lucky enough to see this film when it was first released. I still think of moments from the film that moved me. It's a wonderful film. Acting and story are quite good. I remember crying and laughing many times throughout the movie. Richard Thomas at his best, Richard Crena, Claire Bloom really at the top of their game. Even the minor characters stay with you well after the film is over. Lindo is one in particular. I've been trying to get a copy of it for years. Unfortunately, it is not available. I'm not sure if the theme of the movie is too politically incorrect. Is just makes no sense to me why the movie is not on the market. Why? Please, Universal, get this picture on DVD.

Classic coming of age story in an obscure rural community in NM during WWll

[cliftonassoc · 10/10 · 24 May 2006]

I saw this movie the year it came out. I was 19 and living in Corrales, New Mexico. It was a year after I graduated from High School in California and hit the road. The cinema is shot mostly outdoors and really captures the charm and essence of the New Mexico landscape and the flavor and culture of the rural villages. The storyline was brilliant and the actors were matched beautifully to the characters they played. It is a very funny, touching and emotional film at several levels. It is truly classic and timeless. The movie left a lasting impression on me. I think of it often over the years and how much I enjoyed it and would like to get a copy. It is a crime that Universal Studios will not release this movie to CD or video. I cannot understand it. I guess Universal feels it's too "indie" to generate any major income from commercial resale.

I Must Get This Film.........

[piadevaia · 10/10 · 19 October 2005]

I saw this movie with my parents, brother and sister at a drive-in. I was eleven. I haven't seen it since, but it has stayed with me all my life. Richard Thomas the clumsy new guy, troubled, hurt and alone; Catherine Burns the hot new friend whom Desi Arnez, Jr. already ''knows'' and whom you want to know too, completely. This movie gave me my first anxiety attack - believe it! at eleven, an anxiety attack. I still get upset sometimes when I think about it too much. It's because I felt so much for Thomas's character, out in the desert, far from his home, hurting without a father, in the midst of losing his mother, innocence and childhood, and wishing life could return to the way it was before, but could not and ultimately does not. I still cry thinking about the movie. Richard Thomas's emotion-filled, painful expressions (especially when he ''meets'' the dead cow), and Catherine Burns's welcoming smile still call out to me in my memory. The end of the movie is truly one of the saddest commentaries on war and loss, and the whole movie is the most bittersweet example out there of a coming of age film. I wish this film were available for collection. Please Universal, put this movie back out there. I need to see it again to revive my faded memories of it and help me cope with my own coming of age.

This turkey movie makes no sense.

[captainwarnerathey · 2/10 · 24 October 2014]

I am not sure just what a spoiler is. I am not trying to write a spoiler. I am just trying to tell it straight. This turkey movie makes no sense. A young man lives in Alabama where his father owns a ship yard. World War II breaks out and his dad can't run the ship yard because he is called up by the Navel Reserve. OK Then what. There is a war on. That leaves the guys mom to run the shipyard. Wouldn't you think he would be doing everything to help her and help the war effort by helping out at the ship yard. I sure would. I worked when I was a teenager. So what does he do? Does he even try to help out? No. He goes out to New Mexico to goof off. You know John Boy was more helpful working at the saw mill at Walton's Mountain than he was in this turkey movie. Now when he gets to New Mexico he gets in fights with some Hispanics. John boy fight the Germans not the Mexicans. I can't see why anybody would think this was a good movie. Thanks. I am not trying to knock it. I am just telling it like it is. I hope this helps.

A Heart Movie

[noplainjane · 10/10 · 4 March 2003]

I first saw this movie in 1979 on HBO, it was on 3 times that day and I saw it over and over again as If I could not get enough of the movie and by some magic Josh would come home and the movie would go on. It is hard to explain something "of" the Heart, words cannot describe how I feel about this movie. It had everything. The music was beautiful and when I hear the song it takes me right back to Segrata (the landscape was quiet and peaceful with a never ending sky, the characters were so alive. I just loved it. I must be one of the few lucky ones who got it on tape when it was on Showtime (unedited) a few years ago and I watch it often. Red Sky At Morning is my favorte movie of all time.

I adore the book

[lobotomyboy63 · 3/10 · 20 May 2017]

I had been waiting for this to come out on DVD but I don't know if it ever will. Then I happened to find it on youtube.

The book is a real gem. I've read it many times. I have my own ideas about who should play the various characters and so on. If I only had the money to finance the production, right? So it's just a question of how far this falls from the ideal.

Short story long, this drops the ball. Too much nuance and delight are lost. I guess I'm glad they made the movie to bring it to a larger audience, but you really need to read the book.

If all you can do is see the film, do so. But the book is out there. Take the time.

Images linger three decades later

[TexAggie · 19 May 2000]

This movie defines the word "serendipity" for me. I saw it during my senior year in college when I wandered into a sneak preview at a small theater off campus one Friday night, and was carried away. Never having heard of Richard Bradford or the book on which the film is based, everything about it was fresh and compelling. Like the others who've commented before me, I am both astonished and saddened that it isn't available on videotape or DVD. I believe the director died last year, but apart from Harry Guardino (and perhaps Strother Martin) all the main actors are still alive and active and would be available for any DVD "extras." I keep an eye out in the TV listings for "Red Sky" and watch it every chance I get -- despite some abrupt (and senseless) cuts. For those not aware of it, Bradford also wrote what I'm told is an excellent second novel, "So Far From Heaven." Unfortunately, it's out of print, but I'm haunting the used-book stores in search of it. I envy any of you who haven't been introduced to Bradford's characters on film or printed page.

A naval officer sends his family to New Mexico for safety while he serves in WW II.

[Magman1 · 10/10 · 11 July 2005]

I first saw this film while in the Air Force during Viet Nam. It had such a profound effect on my memory that years later I stayed up until 2 AM to record it from the Late Movie on TV. I still watch it often despite the horrible editing. Excellent cinematography, acting, scenery, music, and story. One of the best "coming of age " movies made. Look for the symbolic train that carries the high schoolers away from their youth and into adulthood forever. Similar to the theme of "Racing with the Moon" with Nicholas Cage and Sean Penn (also recommended). Desi Arnez Jr nearly steals every scene he is in. One of John Thomas' best roles, and whatever happened to Catherine Burns in the movies? She was great in this one! Every person I have showed this movie to have loved it and always asks the question..." Why haven't I heard of this movie before?" Proof again that Hollywood Executives don't always know what they're doing. If you can ever find this film from any friend, collection, flea market, or any source whatsoever, watch it! (Out of print and not available on VHS or DVD).

This movie changed my life

[djdudemanhey · 10/10 · 9 November 2007]

I am so glad I found this site and these comments on Red Sky at Morning. I saw this film when I was 13 (36 years ago). As a teen I was just starting to form opinions on relationships. It deeply influenced me for the better I believe. The only coming of age movie that has come close is Stand by Me. I will never forget this movie which considering the number of movies I have watched and deleted from my memory over the 35 years since says a lot. I thought I was the only one that thinks this movie is criminally under rated. If you can find a home made copy please make me a copy. I will pay any amount.No really please send me an email THANKS

This movie should be a required showing in schools.

[raymayberry · 10/10 · 26 December 2006]

Too bad this movie is not playing in an era where it could probably do the most good. In an era where the 'me first and to heck with everyone else',is prevalent and even encouraged. This was the most moving movie I have ever seen.I saw it when it came out and never forgot it.I am 49 and saw it on a cable channel three weeks ago. I believe people of all ages should see it but people today probably could not relate to the story line because most of the films that come out during this era are mindless violence, sex and crime ridden 'action' movies with very little to no thought provocation. This movie was very underrated then and it is now.

War and aftermath

[ejprice · 10/10 · 22 July 2006]

When the navy officer father goes off to war and leave his son and wife to cope and the uncle moves in to be the "man of the family" but is nothing more than a leach things get interesting. Set against the background of the second world war and new Mexico I find many contemporary comparisons. Richard Thomas as the son and Claire Bloom as the mother are both excellent. Gregory Sierra as the sheriff trying to maintain order in a mixed race town is excellent. In our world today there is always a background of war as there was then, yet young people must come of age and mature and this movie captures that time of youth as no other I have seen. It is not sugar coated, but presented as life is. It mesmerizes you and at the same time makes you feel slightly uneasy about a time when the world was at war, fathers left to serve and families coped as best they could. I recommend seeing red sky at morning and let yourself be taken back to another era and at the same time to the era in which we live.

An excellent movie detailing the aspects of Anglo and Hispanic cultures of the Spanish Southwest.

[tonyp-8 · 28 October 2002]

I teach Sociology and would like my present students and future students, to have the chance to view and appreciate the value of this movie in all its lessons. Our young people today could learn things that would benefit them in so many ways. Things from the past and how they relate to us now. They need to see that things have not changed thru the years when it comes to dealing with our two cultures, in our schools and in our communities of the southwest. So if any one can help me, I would appreciate it very much.

Red Sky At Morning

[hdelao · 9/10 · 27 November 2006]

This was a great movie. I saw it when it came out. It reminded me of the time I was growing up in the small town in NM. The way we used to play and the pranks we used to pull on new kids in town. It was a great time for me growing up there until we moved to CA. The movie brings great memories. Especially when the kids in town lead the new kid to the local dump and while running at full speed runs into a dead cow. I can still see the new kid in the dead cow and the smell, it must have been awful. That's the kind of innocent pranks I remember pulling on other kids as we were growing up. If and when it is decided to make a DVD of videotape, I would like to be notified so I can purchase one.

DVD of Red Sky at Morning

[Nmhistory · 10/10 · 29 July 2007]

At last a small company has made Red Sky at Morning (1969 release) available on DVD. You will find it by going to Google and searching Red Sky at Morning DVD. You will not find it through Amazon as yet. Fans are lucky this happened, as it is obvious that usable copies are getting scarce. The quality is good. After seeing the DVD and rereading the Bradford novel, I must say that the changes made for the video are improvements to the story. The "Game of the Rooster" or rooster pull scene is something that was very common in New Mexico in the 1940s. The sensitivity toward racial classification succinctly defined by Steenie continued well into the 1960s. Whatever happened to Catherine Burns who played Marcia Davidson so accurately to the text of Richard Bradford?