Soldier in the Rain (1963)

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

Maurice Richlin (screenplay) and
Blake Edwards (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 November 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

They leave the peace-time army in pieces!

Plot:

The bond of friendship between a worldly-wise Army Master Sergeant and his naive worshiper.

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | Independent Film | Based On Novel

Cast

Jackie Gleason	...	MSgt. Maxwell Slaughter
Steve McQueen	...	Sgt. Eustis Clay
Tuesday Weld	...	Bobby Jo Pepperdine
Tony Bill	...	Pfc. Jerry Meltzer
Tom Poston	...	Lt. Magee
Ed Nelson	...	MP Sgt. James Priest
Lew Gallo	...	Sgt. Fred Lenahan
Rockne Tarkington	...	Sgt. William Booth
Paul Hartman	...	Chief of Police
John Hubbard	...	Battalion Major
Chris Noel	...	Frances McCoy
Sam Flint	...	Old Man
Lewis Charles	...	Sgt. Tozzi
Adam West	...	Captain (inspecting)

Directed by
Ralph Nelson

Writing credits
Maurice Richlin		(screenplay) and
Blake Edwards		(screenplay)
William Goldman		(novel)

Produced by
Dick Crockett	....	associate producer
Blake Edwards	....	producer
Martin Jurow	....	producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop		(director of photography) (as Philip Lathrop)

Film Editing by
Ralph E. Winters

Art Direction by
Philip Barber		(as Phil Barber)

Set Decoration by
James W. Payne

Makeup Department
Bud Bashaw Jr.	....	makeup artist
Sugar Blymyer	....	hair stylist (as Maryce Bates)

Production Management
J. Paul Popkin	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Austen Jewell	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert Eaton	....	props
Stephen R. Ferry	....	props

Sound Department
Al Cuesta	....	sound
Carlton W. Faulkner	....	sound (as Carl Faulkner)
William Hamilton	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Larry Hampton	....	special effects

Stunts
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sherman Clark	....	still photographer
Joseph Edesa	....	gaffer
Cliff King	....	assistant camera operator
Kyme Meade	....	camera operator
Murray Young	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jerry Alpert	....	costumer: men
Shirlee Strahm	....	costumer: women

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Henry Mancini	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Arline Cowan	....	production secretary
Dan Fraser	....	dialogue director
Meta Rebner	....	continuity
Doris Turner	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Solar Productions

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1965) (UK) (theatrical) (for CBS/Fox)
• Key Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Lorimar Distribution International Inc. (1985) (worldwide) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Sweden:15 | UK:U (original rating) (cut) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Fort Ord, California, USA

Company:

Solar Productions

Trivia:

In the beginning Eustis Clay is seen admiring a parked sports car. It is a 1962 or early 1963 Shelby AC Cobra, one of the first cars Caroll Shelby made, and extremely valuable.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the shooting gallery, in between bites, Bobby Joe's cotton candy is out of frame and suddenly loses half it's volume.

Quotes:

Slaughter:The machine prefers cash.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt (2003) (TV)

An Imitation of (Army) Life

For all its heavy-handed sterotyping of hick Southerners(the real backbone of our armed services) and its Hollywood ham hocks accents, this film offers some fine-tuned dramatics and genuinely poignant moments. Gleason's performance couldn't be improved upon, and perhaps Tuesday Weld is just too pretty for some critics to be convinced she can act, but she demonstrates real pathos in her fair scene with Gleason, for instance. It's a shame someone didn't tell Steve McQueen to tone it down. Maybe they did and he didn't listen. He portrayal is too often off pace and far too broad. Goldman's story does not lend itself well to the grinning goofiness of, say, "No Time for Sergeants." McQueen's true acting genius does not come through here until the final scene and it's a shame. There are some fine moments throughout, nevertheless.