Who'Ll Stop The Rain?

1978, Movie, R, 125 mins

Who'Ll Stop The Rain?: Review

An effective film adaptation of Robert Stone's excellent novel Dog Soldiers, WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN? begins in Vietnam and follows jaded, cynical, and bitter photojournalist John Converse (Michael Moriarty) as he arranges to smuggle a large shipment of Asian heroin into the US. To assist him, Converse enlists Vietnam vet Ray Hicks (Nick Nolte). Once a Marine, now working for the Merchant Marine, Hicks can easily smuggle the heroin out of Vietnam and into the docks at Oakland, California, where he is to hook up with Converse's wife, Marge (Tuesday Weld), and await Converse's return to the US. Unfortunately, Antheil (Anthony Zerbe), a corrupt federal drug enforcement agent, has gotten wind of the shipment and has sent two of his men (Richard Masur and Ray Sharkey) to kill Marge and Hicks and confiscate the heroin for his own purposes. Fueled by excellent performances from the entire cast--with Nolte a definite standout--WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN? is a gripping action film that also illustrates the bitter disillusionment of Americans who witnessed the corruption, confusion, and moral chaos of the country's leadership during the Vietnam era. Smartly directed by Karel Reisz (a Czech-born Englishman), whose previous feature was the memorable THE GAMBLER with James Caan, the film boasts fine photography by Richard H. Kline and an unforgettable climax in the surreal ruins of an abandoned hippie commune. leave a comment