Rachel River (1987)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Sandy Smolan

Writer:

Judith Guest (writer)

Release Date:

20 February 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Comedy drama about a young journalist (Pamela Reed) who, upon returning to her Minnesota home town, begins to examine her life. |

Plot Keywords:

Minnesota | Independent Film

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Ailene Cole	...	Svea
Don Cosgrove	...	Casket Salesman
Jon DeVries	...	Baker
Ron Duffy	...	Duane
Michael Gallagher	...	Will
Jo Henderson	...	Estona
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Momo
Richard Jenkins	...	Cordell
Viveca Lindfors	...	Harriet White
Craig T. Nelson	...	Marlyn Huutula
Alan North	...	Beske
James Olson	...	Jack Canon
Oliver Osterberg	...	Arne
Pamela Reed	...	Mary Graving
Richard Riehle	...	Merv

Runtime:

UK:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

A movie of exceptional sensitivity and achievement

The attempt to make a movie of this subtlety in the United States of the late 1980s was extraordinary, and the measure of how simply yet successfully it was done equally so. The result is moving and exemplary, and especially so for screenwriters, for it shows how much can be done at little cost if a company of filmmakers commit themselves to focusing upon people rather than hype. Readers of this comment needn't read further, for it ends here. However, the 'guidelines' for posting require me to 'hype' its length to ten lines - so I am obliged to repeat: RACHEL RIVER is moving and exemplary, and especially so for screenwriters, for it shows how much can be done at little cost if a company of filmmakers commit themselves to focusing upon people rather than hype.