The Rains Came (1939)

a good disaster movie (& the disaster isnamed tyrone)

yet another fine movie that stops just short of greatness because of the miscasting of tyrone power, herein cast as an indian physician (and presumptive heir to a royal seat of power) caught up in a taboo love affair with an english woman of questionable morality (the always terrific myrna loy), against a flood-wracked and pestilence-ridden land. as usual in this type of movie, there are scads of good supporting performances, most notably that of maria ouspenskaya (no werewolves, sorry). it holds up well against the other disaster flicks of the mid & late 30s, but power stops it from being a classic movie.
November 10, 2006

Great spectacle, weak drama

The Rains Came is one of the less successful examples of the genius of the studio system. Part of the 30s vogue for disaster movies (San Francisco, In Old Chicago), the violence of the spectacle is truly impressive when the earthquakes and floods hit at the halfway point, but the human drama is less engaging, partially due to a plethora of weak characters that it's hard to care about in too many tired scenes that don't catch fire. Too much of the film is carried by George Brent's dissolute ex-pat fending off Brenda Joyce's advances, while an uflatteringly shot Myrna Loy is too self-centered to care for. Tyrone Power's noble Indian doctor almost seems an afterthought, getting surprisingly little screentime (presumably in case he kisses a white woman and gives the censors a coronary), although there is some novelty value in Nigel Bruce playing Loy's genuinely unpleasant husband (a match almost as unlikely as H.B. Warner and Maria Ouspenskaya's Maharajah and Maharani).

This is extras-lite for a Fox Classics release - an enjoyable audio commentary, poor reissue trailer (that almost completely ignores the spectacle) and brief stills gallery. June 29, 2006

Sentimental - But that's really about all there is here

If you like watching a clever woman (the character of Lady Esketh) who has a self-pitying martyr complex, you may like this movie. For the most part 'The Rains Came' is just a sentimental dreary film.

I was truly hoping for something better here! But nevertheless judge for yourself - you may find something really worth while about the movie. March 2, 2006

Proper Disaster Drama with Cultural Oddities and a Love Story...

The Rains Came was released the same year Gone with the Wind (1939) brought a storm of viewers to the silver screen. Unlike Gone with the Wind, which received a legendary status in the cinema history, The Rains Came only made an impact in the special effects department. The special effects are rather amazing, even today many viewers will drop their jaws, as they ponder the age of the film and the fantastic catastrophe sequence in the film's midpoint. However, the film presents an experience that parallels the cheap thrills of melodramatic afternoon TV drama of longing homemakers and bored college students.

The film follows a traditional Hollywood concept of star-loaded talent attracting a large audience, which is blatantly obvious in the film. Tyrone Power, as the Indian medical doctor Major Rama Safti, will have the women of the 1940s having their knees give away. A lively George Brent provides the role of the aging playboy Thomas Ransome seeking seclusion in the Indian province of the story while encountering the love struck 18-year old Fern cast by first time actor and beauty Brenda Joyce. Additional melodrama emerges through the appearance of the infamous Myrna Loy, best remembered for her part in the Thin Man films. Together these four actors provide a solid cast, which is backed up by an equally impressive supporting cast.

The film opens in a sweltering India in 1938 where drought, famine, and sickness trouble the Indian province of Ranchipur. It is midday and people are going about their business while Thomas Ransome sits in the shade of his porch trying to cool down and preoccupy his boredom with a slingshot. An amusing notion is that there are no sweat rings, or other signs of heavy perspiration, besides to the water pearls on the foreheads, which would be normal in heat such as the one in the film. An assumption could be that stars do not perspire heavily, as it would probably lower their star quality. Nonetheless, the beginning of the story discloses that Major Safti and Thomas are good friends, Thomas cannot get out of a garden party, and everyone prays for the rainy season to arrive. The story is told out of Thomas' perspective, but the focus is on the events taking place around him.

At the garden party, Thomas meets the youthful beauty Fern, who requests his help to break the chains of her parents. It puts Thomas in an awkward situation, but he does not really worry about it. Later, he also meets an old friend and confidant, Lady Esketh (Myrna Loy), at Maharajah's palace, and it is here the witch's brew begins to simmer. Lady Esketh first drifts off to some secluded area of the palace with Thomas where something (let your imagination run free) happened, and later falls for Major Safti. This instigates an intriguing triangle drama between Thomas, Lady Esketh, and Lord Esketh (Nigel Bruce), but Lord Esketh doesn't ever suspect Major Safti for anything.

When the emotional witch brew seems to hit its high point the rains begin followed by a severe earthquake. Here the audience gets a chance to experience a magnificent example of the special effects capabilities of the 1940s. However, the emotional turmoil begins to seep away, as a greater problem has emerged that has set all people in danger. There are several other subplots within, but the film only touches on the issues the way a soap opera would. In addition, there are cultural misconceptions within the film, which often have the purpose of glamorizing the actors. Jean Renoir's the River (1951) does a far better job depicting the Indian culture, as he also shot the film on location. Yet, the film tries to be good, and tries to enlighten the audience, but does not achieve the film's full potential. Despite the culturally awkward situations, it is within the effort of trying to teach the audience a valuable lesson where it also puts forth a cinematic experience worthwhile in a Western perspective that will amuse an attentive audience. November 13, 2005

A movie for curiosity value only

A shocking movie. George Brent plays a drunken bum with a shady past. He takes advantage of a pathetic, very confused, borderline psychotic girl young enough to be his granddaughter. This is regarded as noble and beautiful, despite the fact that the child obviously needs psychiatric care, not a drunken, lecherous old man slobbering all over her (their scenes together are nauseating). The leader of the region, played by Maria Ouspenskaya, rewards Brent by taking him on as one of the planners of the new state after the devastation, because she has "faith in him." Why? He's a drunken, disgusting old pervert. Brent's former girlfriend, Myrna Loy, who apparently has had a few boyfriends, but is nowhere near as reprehensible as Brent, is presented as the epitome of evil. He is a saint, she is a sinner. Ouspenskaya demands that Loy be thrown out of the country, despite the fact that Loy has totally reformed and is working day and night in the hospital helping flood and plague victims. My, what a bad girl! Shame on her! She must be punished! Of course - - spoiler alert - - she has to die (but not before she has blessed the union of Brent and his childfriend), so everything turns out okay and India is saved from wicked women and made safe for child molester perverts. October 14, 2005

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