The Rain People (1969)

Having discovered that she is pregnant, Natalie Ravenna (Shirley Knight), a Long Island housewife panics and leaves home to see if she might just possibly have made something different out ... See full summary »

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writer:

Francis Ford Coppola

Stars:

James Caan, Shirley Knight, Robert Duvall

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Caan	...	Jimmy Kilgannon (Killer)
Shirley Knight	...	Natalie Ravenna
Robert Duvall	...	Gordon
Marya Zimmet	...	Rosalie
Tom Aldredge	...	Mr. Alfred
Laura Crews	...	Ellen (as Laurie Crews)
Andrew Duncan	...	Artie
Margaret Fairchild	...	Marion
Sally Gracie	...	Beth
Alan Manson	...	Lou
Robert Modica	...	Vinny Ravenna

Storyline

Having discovered that she is pregnant, Natalie Ravenna (Shirley Knight), a Long Island housewife panics and leaves home to see if she might just possibly have made something different out of herself; if she can manage to unshackle her grocery list worth of responsibilities that add up to a life with a husband she loves. In a motel room where Natalie stops to rest during the day, she sits motionless on the bed, and experiences the exuberance of complete freedom and the queasy feelings of new beginnings. Natalie continues on with her journey and picks up a young hitch-hiker -Killer (James Caan), an attractive brain-damaged football player. It is through Killer that poses a more disturbing question to Natalie than that of domestic responsibility. How deeply are we wedded to chance meetings and are we responsible for the crimes that we witness?

---

Plot Keywords:

football player | housewife | hitchhiker | telephone | motel | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 August 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

Liebe niemals einen Fremden

Filming Locations:

Clarksburg, West Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$750,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Zoetrope, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The brief flashback scene in which James Caan rakes leaves at school was shot on Hofstra University's campus where Francis Ford Coppola had studied drama just ten years prior.

---

Connections

Edited into The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)

User Reviews

Interesting slice-of-life from Coppola

Newly-pregnant Knight bolts from husband for non-specific reasons which are apparently self-related. On the road, she becomes entangled with Caan, brain-damaged former football star, and Duvall, wacky but abusive cop. The type of movie that could only have been spawned in the 60's. Worth a look for its non-formula plot and for early performances by future stars.

Disappointing resolution does not take away too much from rest of flick, which shows an interesting slice of life.