Western
United States of America
Great Day in the Morning is a 1956 American Western film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Virginia Mayo, Robert Stack, and Ruth Roman. The film follows Owen Pentecost, a gambler from the South who wins a Denver hotel in a card game. He finds himself torn between two women: Ann Merry Alaine, a woman who came with the hotel whose past is shrouded in mystery, and Boston-bred lawyer's daughter, Boston Grant, who comes to Denver to open a dress shop.
As the Civil War breaks out in the town, Owen feels the hostility of the Unionist town, who view him as a traitor. With tensions high and the town divided, Owen must navigate his relationships with the two women he loves and decide where his loyalties lie.
The film's themes of loyalty and betrayal, love and war, and personal freedom in the face of social and political boundaries make it a compelling drama. The performances of the three leads are captivating, with Robert Stack's portrayal of Owen Pentecost as the conflicted yet charismatic hero standing out in particular.
Great Day in the Morning has been praised for its lush cinematography and atmospheric direction by Tourneur, who infuses the film with a sense of tension and foreboding throughout. The film is notable for its historical setting and depiction of the Civil War as a backdrop to a personal story of love and redemption.
