The Rapture (1991)

A telephone operator living an empty, amoral life finds God and loses him again.

Director:

Michael Tolkin

Writer:

Michael Tolkin

Stars:

Mimi Rogers, David Duchovny, Darwyn Carson

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mimi Rogers	...	Sharon
Darwyn Carson	...	Maggie
Patrick Bauchau	...	Vic / Sharon's boyfriend
Marvin Elkins	...	Bartender
David Duchovny	...	Randy / Sharon's husband
Stéphanie Menuez	...	Diana
Sam Vlahos	...	Wayne
Rustam Branaman	...	Conrad
Scott Burkholder	...	Evangelist
Vince Grant	...	2nd Evangelist
Carole Davis	...	Angie
Patrick Dollaghan	...	Executive
James Le Gros	...	Tommy (as James LeGros)
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Henry
DeVaughn Nixon	...	First Boy

Storyline

This is the story of a young woman (who lives in Los Angeles) with a very boring job. At night however, she and a male partner cruise the bars as swingers. After a time, she begins to believe that a conspiracy exists and decides that she must become a born-again Christian. The movie presents an interesting view of how even the most unlikely person might become born-again.

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Plot Keywords:

mother kills daughter | large breasts | bare breasts | doggystyle sex | sex scene | 

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Taglines:

Rapture (rap'chur) 1. ecstatic joy or delight. 2. a state of extreme sexual ecstasy. 3. the feeling of being transported to another sphere of existence. 4. the experience of being spirited away to Heaven just before the Apocalypse.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sensuality, and for some language and violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Vocação

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$171,603, 6 October 1991

Gross USA:

$1,277,404

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,277,404

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Not all Christians accept that the Rapture is found in the Bible. A number of denominations do not recognize it and believe that its popularity is due to either a mistranslation or a misinterpretation of Biblical text. A number of them consider it outright heresy.

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Goofs

Fast food joints learned long ago you don't hand the food over until after you get the money handed over first.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sharon: Please hold for the number. Operator 134. What city please? Is that a business or residence?

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Deep Impact/Woo/Clockwatchers/Little Men/Artemisia/In Our Own Hands (1998)

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Soundtracks

Directly From My Heart to You
Performed by Little Richard
Words and music by Little Richard (as Richard Penniman)
Published by Duchess Music Corporation
Courtesy of Virgin Records America, Inc./Ace Records Ltd./Blues Interactions, Inc.

User Reviews

The pride of perfect conviction

Several of the cast members of this movie have noted that the budget pretty much ran out near the end. Fortunately by then you are so fascinated to find out how it will all end the shortcuts are easy to ignore. This is one you remember. There's a certain type of convert - to religion, politics, you name it - who is so sure of him or herself they just can't ever stop and question whether they've substituted an arrogant certainty where faith and humility should reside.

Seldom is this zealotry depicted in film, and if it is usually some secondary character wears the label, all the better to comment on or contrast with the actions of the main characters. Here that character is front and center. The sin of pride born of absolute certainty is Mimi Rogers real co-star. Rogers is so effective here because her zealotry is low-key. She is soft spoken and serene, a lovely woman. Only gradually do we see how deep rooted is her need to understand God in her own way and how convinced she is that she's doing it absolutely the right way.

Movies never, ever take a certain type of religious conversion all the way to such a logical conclusion. For me, that's what makes this movie such a stunner. I've always been sorry this film never got it's due in the theatrical release, but the subject matter, coming after an opening act glimpse of Rogers' empty sexual adventuring, probably made it a double whammy for timid theater owners. If it were released next week somehow I don't think it would be nearly as ignored as it was. I only made an effort to see it because Roger Ebert paid it some special attention in his review, and I'm glad I did. This movie needs a DVD release, because it definitely is an overlooked and memorable film that should prompt many a conversation about worthwhile matters of the spirit.

As I write this there is a certain amount of criticism of Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" coming from various corners, including one film critic who claims that Hollywood dislikes religion. "The Rapture" seems to me a perfect example of a movie designed to start useful discussions about what it means to be outwardly "religious" in an "us vs. them" mindset rather than truly, inclusively spiritual. I don't recall any public commentary about this movie when it came out at all, yet I'd say it is far more the provocative of the two.