The Rain People **** (1969, James Caan, Shirley Knight, Robert Duvall) – Classic Movie Review 4707

Writer-director Francis Ford Coppola’s intriguing early career film from 1969 demands attention and respect, with Shirley Knight starring as Natalie Ravenna, a New York housewife who panics when she discovers that she is pregnant and leaves her husband in Long Island to drive off and rethink her life.

After stopping to rest in a motel room, she gives a lift to a young hitch-hiker, attractive brain-damaged football player Jimmy Kilgannon (James Caan).

The fairly unpromising material becomes quite something in the hands of the two fine actors under Coppola’s intense, focused direction and sensitive, involving writing. It is one of Coppola’s favourites of his films. Upcoming star Robert Duvall plays a policeman on a motorbike who attempts to rape Knight. Duvall replaced Rip Torn, who had appeared in Coppola’s You’re a Big Boy Now (1967) but had to exit through a scheduling conflict.

Also in the cast are Marya Zimmet, Tom Aldredge, Laurie [Laura] Crewes, Andrew Duncan, Margaret Fairchild, Sally Gracie, Alan Manson and Robert Modica. Duvall’s wife is played by Coppola’s wife, Eleanor Coppola.

Running 101 minutes, produced by American Zoetrope and released by Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, it is written by Coppola from his story Echoes, shot in Technicolor by Wilmer Butler, produced by Bart Patton and Ronald Colby, scored by Ronald Stein and designed by Leon Ericksen.

Caan and Duvall were both recalled by Coppola for key roles in The Godfather (1972).

Knight was actually pregnant.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4707

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