Monday, December 06, 2021

Movie review - "The Rain People" (1969) *** (warning: spoilers)

 Coppola indie film, which sort of ambles along but is full of intelligence, warmth, skill... Shirley Knight is a housewife who flips out and takes off.

The role is a gift for Knight who come to think of it got a lot of good parts in the sixties. A really top actor might've made this sing - Diane Keaton? Knight is absolutely fine - she just doesn't exceed what's on paper if you know what I mean. Coppola wrote the film for her apparently... I think he was a little love struck (the blonde shiska goddess factor, no doubt... blondes pop up all the time in early Coppola films.)

James Caan does in his part. A mentally challenged footballer is normally the cue for "retard acting" but Caan does is subtly, just playing someone a bit slow. It's superb work.  Also good is Robert Duvall as the cop.

The plot has Knight pick up Caan, then they drive for a bit, visit an ex of Caan's. Then Knight gets him a job at a chicken farm. She's pulled over by cop Duvall. Knight is hot for Duvall. They go to bed but he's stalker-y, creepy and she says no and he says yes and Caan tries to stop it and Duvall's little daughter shoots Caan dead. This felt like an Australian film. A good one though.

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