Search

The Rainmaker

1956, Movie, NR, 121 mins

The Rainmaker: Review

starstarstarstar
THE MUSIC MAN may have owed something to this story, since both concern confidence men who come to small towns to peddle their scams, then fall for spinsters. Nash wrote the film as a television play then expanded it to work on the Broadway stage, where it ran 124 performances with Geraldine Page in the Hepburn role and Prud'Homme as her father, under the direction of Anthony, who also did this film and, later, the musical version, "110 in the Shade." Composer North garnered an Oscar nomination, as did Hepburn, her seventh. The main problem is that the film is far too talky, and the leads are somewhat grizzled for the situation. Hepburn is a hick-town spinster in an arid area of the Southwest. (She never really convinces anyone that she's a country girl because that New England accent and her flighty mannerisms constantly intrude.) Lancaster is a brash, lively con artist who comes to the burg claiming that he can bring rain to the drought-ravaged locale for the sum of $100. He is taken into Prud'Homme's house and allowed to live in one of the outbuildings. Hepburn's brothers are Bridges, who never quite buys Lancaster's spiel, and Holliman, an oafish young man who is wooing town beauty Lime. Once Lancaster is ensconced, he begins to change things around. Hepburn is being courted, albeit reluctantly, by the town's lawman, Corey, but he doesn't seem to be able to pop the question, and time is a-wasting in her old maid life. Lancaster convinces the plain Hepburn that she is gorgeous, and once she feels that's true, her attitude about herself begins to alter. She's been told for years by everyone, mostly her brother Bridges, that she is, at best, plain, but the intrusion of Lancaster works a minor miracle on her self-confidence. She now has a duo of suitors in Lancaster and Corey, who suddenly awakens to the fact that she is a terrific woman. At the end, there is a coincidental downpour, and Lancaster, it should go without saying, takes all the credit before departing for his next conquest. Behind him, he has left a changed woman, and his visit has been the most exciting thing to happen to the tiny village in its history. Lancaster does one of his ELMER GANTRY bravura performances and was a perfect selection, although a little timeworn at 43. Hepburn was pushing 50 and Corey was 7 years younger. The difference in all their ages was revealed by the close-ups and worked against the believability of the story. Still, it's a pleasant movie with more than many laughs. leave a comment
Advertisement

Shop

John Grisham's The Rainmaker (Special Collector's Edition)
Buy John Grisham's The Rainmaker (Special Collector's Edition) from Amazon.com
From Paramount (DVD)
Average Customer Review: nostarnostarnostarnostarstar
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $12.98
The Rainmaker
Buy The Rainmaker from Amazon.com
From Paramount (DVD)
Average Customer Review: nostarnostarnostarnostarnostar
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $13.49

more The Rainmaker products

Advertisement

Related Websites

You might be also interested in the following websites:

Most Popular TV Shows

  1. Dancing with the Stars
  2. The Game
  3. NCIS
  4. American Idol
  5. Wife Swap
more popular tv shows

Most Popular Celebrities

  1. Michelle Obama
  2. Adam Lambert
  3. Tiger Woods
  4. Kym Johnson
  5. Donny Osmond
more popular celebrities

Most Popular Movies

  1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon
  2. The Blind Side
  3. 2012
  4. Planet 51
  5. A Christmas Carol
more popular movies

Top Videos

  1. Adam Lambert
  2. #5 Adam Lambert - For Your En...
  3. #20 Adam Lambert American Mus...
  4. Family Guy
  5. Dancing with the Stars
more top videos