Baby the Rain Must Fall

I have read the reviews on the title "Baby The Rain Must Fall" and I say anyone who doesn't love this movie is out of their mind, to me Steve McQueen never gave a bad performance, and yes that even includes "The Hunter" and the Campy "The Blob", This film is basically about a dreamer who can't seem to stay on the right side of the law and out of trouble,and Lee Remick, I can never tire of watching her, this is a **** star movie and a real gem

For those of you who didn't like the film, well all I have to say is go watch Howard The Duck instead, because I am sure that is your "Casablanca"

This movie is short on plot, but long on attitude. As I watched this movie, I kept looking for it to take a more optimistic, even-the-bad- guys will overcome story line.

In its time, it was a remarkable realistic view of the life of someone on the outside, one who didn't fit. The images and emotions displayed all combine to help you understand those people who were not the class presidents, sports stars, or young professionals. There are no heroes in this film.

I understand that this movie is semi-biographical for Steve McQueen. I think that is why he plays his role so well.

Being a parole officer myself,this uniquely sad and frustrating movie is exactly what goes on in the recitivist's life. A good caring wife, new family, he knows what his weak points are, but does them anyway maintaining the downward spiral to the inevitable return to prison. The victim here is not McQueen but the wife and child and their helplessness in getting him to be what they want. A responsible and loving husband/father. This is exactly what we see in the job every day. The sad part, there is no help or hope for the family....

Beautiful performances from Steve McQueen and especially Lee Remick highlight this rather sad rambling film of the type Hollywood doesn't make anymore. A small personal drama that explores the lives of regular people just struggling to make a place for themselves in the world. Nothing blows up, it's all about emotions here. Horton Foote's screenplay, based on his play, shows his customary understanding of how people react and interact with each other while Ernest Laszlo stark black and white cinematography evokes the dusty small town Texas setting in a way color never could. Something that you'd find either on the indie circuit or maybe on cable today certainly not in major markets as this was and hardly with stars of this magnitude.

This is the kind of film which seems to struggle to find an audience outside of its immediate setting – in its case, the American Deep South. It's basically a familial drama where husband and wife are driven apart by the former's troubled persona – especially due to his own inclination to violence and the enigmatic relationship with his eminent but dying guardian. Director Mulligan had created an all-time classic with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962): this updates the atmosphere (including a failed attempt to replicate the Gothic touch associated with Robert Duvall's Boo Radley character in that film) but still throws in a little girl at the core of the story. Steven McQueen goes through the whole 'Rebel Without A Cause' act to little lasting effect – the performance is even more hurt by the fact that, playing a wannabe rockabilly singer, he's forced to mimic to a number of tunes (including the title number). Similarly, co-stars Lee Remick and Don Murray have typical roles, and John Wayne regular Paul Fix also has a nice bit as a benign Judge. The film notches up some tolerable intensity with scenes where McQueen is beaten up, feverishly tries to dig up the old lady (for whatever purpose) and finally escapes custody – if only for a short while; otherwise, the greatest points of interest here are Ernest Laszlo's moody cinematography and Elmer Bernstein's eclectic score.