Rachel, Rachel (1968)

Rachel is a 35 year old school teacher who has no man in her life and lives with her mother. When a man from the big city returns and asks her out, she begins to have to make decisions ... See full summary »

Director:

Paul Newman

Writers:

Stewart Stern (screenplay), Margaret Laurence (novel)

Stars:

Joanne Woodward, James Olson, Kate Harrington

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joanne Woodward	...	Rachel Cameron
James Olson	...	Nick Kazlik
Kate Harrington	...	Mrs. Cameron
Estelle Parsons	...	Calla Mackie
Donald Moffat	...	Niall Cameron
Terry Kiser	...	Preacher
Frank Corsaro	...	Hector Jonas
Bernard Barrow	...	Leighton Siddley
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Rev. Wood
Nell Potts	...	Rachel as a child
Shawn Campbell	...	James
Violet Dunn	...	Verla
Beatrice Pons
Dortha Duckworth	...	(as Dorothea Duckworth)
Simm Landres

Storyline

Rachel is a 35 year old school teacher who has no man in her life and lives with her mother. When a man from the big city returns and asks her out, she begins to have to make decisions about her life and where she wants it to go.

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Plot Keywords:

school | teacher | small town | elementary school | repression | 

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Taglines:

who cares about a 35 year old virgin?

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Jest of God

Filming Locations:

Bethel, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$700,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kayos Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

Terry Kiser's film debut.

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Goofs

Rachel's hair pattern changes in two continuous shots on the hospital bed. The front camera angle shows her hair in front of her ears but the side camera shows her hair behind her ears.

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Quotes

Nurse: The operation was a success. You're out of danger.
Rachel Cameron: How can I be out of danger if I'm not dead?

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Connections

Referenced in Stella (1990)

User Reviews

One of the best American films of the 60's.

This small, naturalistic film is one of the more honest films to come out of Hollywood. Its portrait of unexceptional lives strikes chords most movies never hear. Woodward and Harrington are superb, and under husband Paul Newman's direction, Woodward gives what is probably her finest performance. Newman has done a first rate job, and his use of photographed thought is particularly effective thanks in large part to Dede Allen's superb editing. The scene at the revival is ,perhaps, overdone but, the rest of the film feels true to life. The film's integrity is in its refusal to romanticize or provide dramatic climaxes. There are no heroes or villains, nothing remarkable happens, yet the film is holding and affecting and it should have been on the AFI's list of The 100 Greatest American Films. It deservedly received Oscar nods for best picture and actress, but director Newman was not nominated. Both the New York Film Critics and the Hollywood Foreign Press (Golden Globes) awarded Newman and Woodward. A gem!