Thunder in the Sun
Directed by	Russell Rouse
Written by	Russell Rouse Stewart Stern
Produced by	Clarence Greene
Starring	Susan Hayward Jeff Chandler
Cinematography	Stanley Cortez
Edited by	Chester W. Schaeffer
Music by	Cyril J. Mockridge
Production companies	Seven Arts Productions Carrolton Inc
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	April 8, 1959
Running time	81 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.8 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Thunder in the Sun is a 1959 western film directed by Russell Rouse starring Susan Hayward and Jeff Chandler.

Plot

The film shows a family of French Basque immigrants pioneering into the Wild West while carrying their ancestral vines. Hard drinking trail driver Lon Bennett is hired to lead them and he falls for the spirited Gabrielle Dauphin.

The film is infamous among Basques for its misunderstandings of Basque customs, such as the use of the xistera (a device of the jai alai sport) as a weapon or shouting irrintzi ululations as meaningful communication.^{[citation needed]} Other commentators, though, have noted the well staged action scenes, the absorbing story, and the excellent cinematography.

Cast

• Susan Hayward as Gabrielle Dauphin
• Jeff Chandler as Lon Bennett
• Jacques Bergerac as Pepe Dauphin
• Blanche Yurka as Louise Dauphin
• Carl Esmond as Andre Dauphin
• Fortunio Bonanova as Fernando Christophe
• Bertrand Castelli as Edmond Duquette
• Albert Carrier
• Felix Locher as Danielle
• Michele Marly
• Albert Villasainte
• Veda Ann Borg as Marie

Production

The film was made by Seven Arts Productions and acquired by Paramount for distribution.^[2] It was the company's third film, after Gunrunners and Ten Seconds to Hell.^[3] It was known during filming as Between the Thunder and the Sun and The Gun and the Arrow.^[4]

Filming took place in August 1958 with location work in Mount Whitney.^[5]