Product Details

• Actors: James Caan, Shirley Knight, Robert Duvall, Marya Zimmet, Tom Aldredge
• Directors: Francis Ford Coppola
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300268543
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,331 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Overlooked early Coppola effort, December 18, 1999

By 

B. Holen (Minot, ND) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rain People [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A brilliant character study of a pregnant woman who runs out on her husband and hits the road with no destination in mind. Years ahead of its time with its feminist viewpoint, this early Coppola film is sadly one of his least viewed. Shirley Knight is excellent as the troubled woman and James Caan is perfect as killer, a brain damaged ex-football player who Knight ends up befriending. The Rain People is a good example of 70's cinema when characters mattered more than special effects or action-packed plots.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unjustly Forgotten Classic, February 25, 2000

By 

Kevin L. Nenstiel "omnivore" (Kearney, Nebraska) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rain People [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie isn't without its faults -- find me one that isn't -- but as one of the earliest movies about a woman taking her life into her own hands, it stands as one of the all-time greats. Compare this to the much better known "Thelma and Louise," in which two women, merely bored, take off on their own and wreak a path of destruction for no other purpose than to prove they can. By contrast, Shirley Knight's character is suffering real and believable angst for a concrete purpose, and actually does something about it. Even minor characters are three-dimensional, and it's interesting to see James Caan and Robert Duvall before they settle into the predictable stock roles that continue to dominate their careers. Watch the credits closely -- this was one of George Lucas' first movies.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Of Chicks and People, June 29, 2009

By 

Annie Van Auken (Planet Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rain People (DVD-R)

Three years before THE GODFATHER (1972) was released, director Francis Ford Coppola and actors James Caan and Robert Duvall worked together on THE RAIN PEOPLE. Scripted by Coppola, this movie combines feminism with elements of John Steinbeck's 1937 novella, OF MICE AND MEN.

According to Jimmy 'Killer' Kilgannon, "rain people" are normal-sized folks who are made of raindrops; when they cry themselves out, the rain people disappear.

SYNOPSIS--
Natalie Ravenna (Knight) is pregnant and panicked. Feeling trapped, Nat flees her Long Island marriage to Vinny (Modica--voice only) and hits the road to points unknown. She picks up an attractive young crewcut-topped hitchhiker. 'Killer' Kilgannon (Caan) played varsity football until a severe head injury left him brain-disabled. Killer remained at the college, raking leaves for them until he was given $1000 and told to go away.

Feeling sympathy for this sweet but simple-minded fellow, Natalie offers a ride to West Virginia, where Killer believes his ex-girlfriend's dad has a drive-in theater job waiting for him. When they arrive unannounced, Ellen (Crews) tells her father not to hire Killer and she rudely demands that he and Nat leave.

Natalie abandons Killer in Chattanooga, but has second thoughts. Continuing west, they stop at a small Nebraska town, where Nat finds a utility job for Killer at a reptile zoo. His new employer, Mr. Alfred (Aldredge) convinces the young man to hand over all his cash for safekeeping. Natalie fears Alfred will cheat Killer out of that savings but is more concerned about escaping alone.

Nat drives hurriedly off and gets stopped by motorcycle cop Gordon (Duvall) for speeding. A $40 citation must be paid at the reptile zoo. Despite her pleas not to force a return there, Gordon escorts Nat back and they encounter a scene of chaos. Killer has let hundreds of chicks out of their cages. Mr. Alfred discharges him and as Justice of the Peace he levies an $800 fine for property damage.

Again, Natalie is stuck with Killer. She's arranged a date with the cop and tells Killer to wait in her car. While Nat visits Gordon's trailer home, Killer wanders around outside. He peeks in a window and sees Gordon trying to force himself on Nat, so Killer angrily tears open the trailer door and attacks the cop.....


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.

(6.9) The Rain People (1969) - James Caan/Shirley Knight/Robert Duvall/Marya Zimmet/Tom Aldredge/Laura Crews/Andrew Duncan