THE RAINMAKER (1956)

(Week 15: Burt Lancaster)

THE RAINMAKER (1956)

Directed by Joseph Anthony

I love Hepburn in this film. She plays Lizzie, an unglamorous country girl who, despite her unrefined exterior, is shy, sensitive, and romantic. She is getting old and about to miss her last chance at marriage. She is smart, too, but not in the know-it-all sort of way but insightful and at times incurably honest. She would have had more of a chance had she learned to hold her tongue.

As Lizzie, Hepburn is incredibly lovable and moving. We feel sorry for her loneliness and root for her in her attempt to be a more proper lady. Her a father tells her to not be afraid to take a chance. Leading by example, he agrees to pay a stranger to make it rain, knowing that he's a con. It seems like too much of an effort to prove a point, but it resulted in more win than the family could imagine.

Starbuck, the conman/rainmaker played by Burt Lancaster, is theatrical and passionate. He lies to himself just as much as to others, and not out of malice but because his fiction is better than reality. He sees beauty in Lizzie and encourages her to believe in herself. Subsequently, his version of the truth ends up being more helpful than anybody else's. 

THE RAINMAKER is joyful and thought-provoking. This is the kind of film that makes you feel good without being cheesy. The heart of it is in the way the family members care about each other, each in his own way, despite their differences. It is full of smart and genuine dialogues that are impressive in their simplicity. It explores human issues in clever and intriguing ways, with lovable, naive characters played by actors that treat them with respect.