Il mago della pioggia

What's best, to live only in our dreams, only on the outside of them, or somewhere in between? N. Richard Nash has written a deceptively simple story about faith, reality, trust, and transformation in the script from his play, "The Rainmaker." Ably directed by Joseph Anthony, richly scored by Alex North, and lovingly played by Katherine Hepburn and Burt Lancaster, this is a poignant and surprisingly moving drama. While the secondary love interest between Earl Holliman and Yvonne Lime become a bit cloying and hokey at times, the main theme is beautifully enacted by two enormously gifted stars. "The Rainmaker" is an entertainment winner, while offering much substantive food-for-thought.

N. Richard Nash adapted his play for the silver screen. Directed by Joseph Anthony, this is a wonderful insight into the core of human emotion. A hard glimpse at the look of low self esteem.

Katherine Hepburn plays Lizzie Curry, a young woman that lives with her father and brothers in a dusty prairie town. She is led to believe she will become an old maid. She of course has more brains than beauty and her emotions tell her that she needs to become a "woman".

Enter Bill Starbuck, played aptly by Burt Lancaster; Starbuck is a con man constantly on the move bilking his way through life. He convinces the Curry family he can end the drought by making it rain. He ends up in the barn with Miss Lizzie. Now she feels a new world has opened up to her.

Deputy File is too shy to tell Lizzie of his interest in her; until he finds Starbuck with her and wants to arrest him for his previous bad deeds. Lizzie has to make a big decision between the side of law and order or a life chasing dreams with a wanderer.

This movie deserves to be called a classic. The deep human element and the diverse relationships within the characters makes for a very interesting movie. Scenery and language may seem at times a bit hokey; but the realism is there. Great movie.

Besides Hepburn and Lancaster, this cast was full of good acting. Wendell Corey, Lloyd Bridges and Earl Holliman turned in fine jobs. Holliman's innocence and fresh spirit was a real highlight. The always cute Yvonne Lime also has a small part.

Another of Kate Hepburn's ageing spinsters, to set aside her travelling lady in Italy in 'Summer Madness'. This time she's the unmarried sister in a house of men, whose heart gets a kick start by a visiting 'rainmaker', in the shape of Burt Lancaster.

Hepburn and Lancaster give charm and credence to what might have been an extremely ridiculous scenario. The whole is pretty stagey but it has heart which shines through. Good support from Lloyd Bridges, Wendell Corey and others. Funnily enough the part of the youngest brother was set for Elvis Presley's debut - wonder if he'd have been able to pull it off?

Much has been made of the fact that nearly all of the actors were too old to comfortably inhabit their roles, which I think is crap. I don't think Hepburn's character felt anything other than genuine nor did it seem as if she were playing a character younger than her years. For one, she was a pretty well-preserved 49 - but that's almost beside the point. The point, I think being, is that no matter what your age or station, dreams will infuse you with beauty and purpose, so never abandon them. Sure, there were show-boaty moments (the final scene of the Rainmaker riding off springs to mind) - but this was made in 1956, after all, and gestures tended to be a little more expansive. Context, people, context.

What can I say, it was a great movie. Katharine Hepburn is excellent as Lizzy Curry and Burt Lancaster in one of his best performances ever. Hepburn

deserved her Oscar nomination but Lancaster should have been nominated as

well. You have to admit he was not playing his ordinary tough character. He

brought some laughs to the movie as Starbuck. The supporting cast including

Lloyd Bridges and Wendell Corey was great and Alex North's music is great as

it usually is. This is an underrated movie and is definately worth your time

watching. You should see this movie if you haven't already. It's pretty hard to find of Video and it is not yet available on DVD and it should and if you do get this movie, don't get it confused with John Grisham's version.