O Passageiro da Chuva

René Clément was a great French filmmaker, which gave us masterpieces like "Purple Noon"(1960)Plein soleil(original title), "Joy House(1964) Les félins(original title), "Forbidden Games"(1952)Jeux interdits (original title), "The Deadly Trap"(1971)La Maison sous les arbres (original title), "Gervaise"(1956), etc., one better than another. "Rider on the Rain"(1970)Le passager de la pluie(original title), if it's not his best film, is definitely the most special, totally different from all the others. Based on a novel by Sébastien Japrisot (famous French author of crime novels), the film has a completely different atmosphere, a little strange, as if from another world, and yet so realistic, as in everyday real life. We have here two great actors, Marlène Jobert and Charles Bronson. Jobert is more delicious than ever, you feel the need to eat her, so sweet she is(the villain of the film has a very different opinion...). Bronson, the one and only Charles Bronson, is more relaxed and funnier than ever. It's probably his best role ever. All the actors are impeccable, including Jill Ireland, Gabriele Tinti, Jean Gaven, Jean Piat, Corinne Marchand, Annie Cordy. Francis Lai's music is superb. One of the greatest films in the history of cinema.

We are in the South of France, the gorgeous Mélancolie 'Mellie' Mau finds a mysterious stranger is stalking her. She is then raped by the man and after finding him still in the house after the attack she shoots him dead and throws his body into the sea. Sometime later, tough grizzled American, Col. Harry Dobbs, walks into her life and appears to know everything that has happened.

Every once in a while i come across a film that leaves me both intrigued and highly frustrated, Le Passager de la pluie is one such film. I have rated it down the middle with a 5/10 rating because i have to sit on the fence with it, it has many qualities that obviously hit the spot for many viewers, yet it's something of a chore to get through as well. Filmed as a sort of dreamy pondering piece by René Clément, the film is never less than interesting, and at times quite beautiful in texture. Just going by the user comments on IMDb it's apparent that the appearance of Charles Bronson has divided many a viewer, those proclaiming that this turn shows a depth to his acting are quite right, it does, but ultimately when his character gets mean and kicks some, it's the high point of the film, a victim of typecasting it may be, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it Charles.

Fans of Bronson macho movie heaven need not apply here, this is a different animal completely, those into art-house cinema will love the dream scape feeling on show here, René Clément knows his onions for sure, and i was personally enthralled by the performance of Marlène Jobert as Mélancolie 'Mellie' Mau, if i can get any other films she has been in then i'll be an interested viewer. Yet the film falls down for me because after an opening third that is quite brilliant, one that makes me feel that a sense of fear and dread has invaded my well being, the piece sinks into that mantra of style over substance that appears to be pandering for all genre watchers.

I'll never watch it again, but i'm strangely glad that i did catch it.

Upon watching this movie I really had only the Death Wish films to rate Bronson by but after watching the "Rider on the Rain" I can understand why he was an acclaimed actor. His role in this movie was superbly amazing as the 'I know what you've been up to undercover', his acting is unbelievable and I up until this movie had never seen him act so well and have so much dialogue. Granted I'am very unfamiliar with foreign films (to me they can be confusing at times, maybe that's just a concentration problem on my behalf?) and acting back in 1970 was a whole lot different than today, but nonetheless this movie is worth having on your shelf. It always takes me a few viewings to fully grasp the concept of most films but already by watching it this first time I'am really convinced that this could be his best outing (with the exception of the first Death Wish and Cold Sweat). I still have yet to see more Bronson classics but I'm just getting started and this one definitely 'wowed' me. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is a Bronson fan, must see stuff. 9 out of 10 stars.

I finally tracked down a copy of this rare gem on VHS here in T.O. and what can I say, this is an underrated and unique piece of fimmaking. I don't believe there's been anything like it before or since. The best use of Bronson's action hero persona since "Once Upon a Time in the West". It really is a shame that in the thirty plus years of Bronson's film career that he never found anything approaching this quality. Intelligently written and beautifully filmed, the movie resembles something of a photographed play with the lovely Marlene Jobert and Charlie squaring off in an unusual cat and mouse tale almost entirely consisting of their two characters during its' running time. I am officially begging either Anchor Bay or Blue Underground or whoever to produce a widescreen DVD of this little known film treasure.

I find it hard to say why exactly but I liked this film. It was well made, well acted and different enough that it wasn't the usual predictable Hollywood pulp. I'd recommend it for anyone who has more than a few brain cells to rub together as at least a refreshing change of pace that shows films can be both different and entertaining.

Charles Bronson has a reputation for making mostly the other kinds of films so this is very different for him. The French spin adds something hard to define but enjoyable. The female lead is wonderful to watch too.

I found I really enjoyed the sets and locations and, yes, especially the rain. Perhaps rain overdoes some moodiness in a way but I find I love to see a film with rain in it as a backdrop. Maybe that comes from living in a place where I rarely see and real rain.

Nevertheless, I'd buy this if I could find it locally, especially if it was on wide format DVD. I don't think anyone who was behind the project gave it enough support when it was a new film (I originally saw it in an "art house" cinema) and I certainly don't think the mainstream types will support it now. I think it's a rare gem of film making and deserves to be preserved, owned and watched by lots of new people. I'll keep looking for it along with other rare but obscure gems I'd love to own.