Rider on the Rain
Encyclopedia
Rider on the Rain is a 1970 French
mystery
thriller film
starring Charles Bronson
, directed by René Clément, produced by Serge Silberman
, with film music composed by Francis Lai
.
starring as the diffident, nail-biting, beautiful and lonely Mélancolie "Mellie" Mau, who watches a mysterious stranger step down from the bus into the pouring rain. He follows and eventually rapes her, while her husband (an airline navigator) is away from home. However, when coming to her senses again, she manages to kill her attacker and dispose of the corpse. She decides to keep quiet about the whole incident to avoid complications with her jealous husband. — Enter Charles Bronson
as the tough US Army
colonel
Harry Dobbs, who is out on undercover work trying to track down a serial rapist who has escaped from a military stockade in Germany. He confronts her and she is shocked that he seems to know exactly what has happened, but she sticks to her story of knowing nothing. Since the Colonel is less than forthcoming about his own mission, she also starts to worry about her absent husband possibly being implicated in something shady. Then a dead body is discovered on the beach where she dumped the rapist's body, and further complications ensue...
, was nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Edgar Allan Poe Awards, and for the Golden Laurel
.
and sung by French chansonette Severine
). The American singer-songwriter Peggy Lee
wrote English lyrics for the song, and recorded it on her 1971 album Make It With You
as "Passenger in the Rain".
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mystery
Mystery film
Mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film and at times the thriller genre. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.The...
thriller film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
starring Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
, directed by René Clément, produced by Serge Silberman
Serge Silberman
Serge Silberman was a French film producer.Silberman was born in Łódź, then a part of the Russian Empire in a Jewish family. During World War II Silberman survived Nazi concentration camps and eventually settled in Paris...
, with film music composed by Francis Lai
Francis Lai
Francis Lai is a French accordionist, and composer noted for his film scores.While in his twenties, Francis Lai left home and went to Paris where he became part of the lively Montmartre music scene...
.
Plot summary
In a god-forsaken, off-season French seaside town we meet Marlène JobertMarlène Jobert
Marlène Jobert is a French actress, singer and author.Jobert was born in Algiers, Algeria , the daughter of Andrée and a father who flew for the French Air Force. She is a Pied-Noir of Jewish heritage. She came to Metropolitan France when aged 8...
starring as the diffident, nail-biting, beautiful and lonely Mélancolie "Mellie" Mau, who watches a mysterious stranger step down from the bus into the pouring rain. He follows and eventually rapes her, while her husband (an airline navigator) is away from home. However, when coming to her senses again, she manages to kill her attacker and dispose of the corpse. She decides to keep quiet about the whole incident to avoid complications with her jealous husband. — Enter Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
as the tough US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Harry Dobbs, who is out on undercover work trying to track down a serial rapist who has escaped from a military stockade in Germany. He confronts her and she is shocked that he seems to know exactly what has happened, but she sticks to her story of knowing nothing. Since the Colonel is less than forthcoming about his own mission, she also starts to worry about her absent husband possibly being implicated in something shady. Then a dead body is discovered on the beach where she dumped the rapist's body, and further complications ensue...
Cast
- Marlène JobertMarlène JobertMarlène Jobert is a French actress, singer and author.Jobert was born in Algiers, Algeria , the daughter of Andrée and a father who flew for the French Air Force. She is a Pied-Noir of Jewish heritage. She came to Metropolitan France when aged 8...
as Mélancolie "Mellie" Mau - Charles BronsonCharles BronsonCharles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
as Dobbs - Annie CordyAnnie CordyLéonie Cooreman known under the stage name Annie Cordy is a Belgian film actress and singer. She has appeared in 50 films since 1954. She has staged many memorable appearances at Bruno Coquatrix' famous Paris Olympia...
as Juliette - Corinne Marchand as Woman
- Jill IrelandJill IrelandJill Dorothy Ireland was an English actress, best known for her many films with her second husband, Charles Bronson.-Life and career:Born in London, England, Ireland was the daughter of a wine importer...
as Nicole - Jean PiatJean PiatJean Piat is a French actor and writer.-Life:Piat was born in Lannoy, Nord. He enlisted in the Comédie-Française on 1 September 1947, and became a member on 1 January 1953. He left the Comédie-Française on 31 December 1972, and became an honorary member the following day...
as M. Armand - Marcel PérèsMarcel PérèsMarcel Pérès is a French musicologist, composer, choral director and singer, and the founder of the early music group Ensemble Organum. He is an authority on Gregorian and pre-Gregorian chant....
as Station Master - Gabriele Tinti as Tony
- Ellen Bahl as Madeline Legauff
- Jean Gaven as Toussaint
- Marc Mazza as The Stranger (Mac Guffin)
- Marika GreenMarika GreenMarika Nicolette Green is a Swedish-French actress. She is mostly famous for playing the starring role in Robert Bresson's Pickpocket , and also for appearing in Emmanuelle ....
as Hostess at Tania's
Awards
In 1970 the film won the Special David of the David di Donatello Awards. In 1971 it won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language FilmGolden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the awards presented at the Golden Globes, an American film awards ceremony.Until 1986, it was known as the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film, meaning that any non-American film could be honoured...
, was nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Edgar Allan Poe Awards, and for the Golden Laurel
Laurel Awards
The Laurel Awards were cinema awards to honor pictures, actors, actresses, directors and composers. This award was created by Motion Picture Exhibitor magazine, and ran from 1958 to 1968, then 1970 and 1971....
.
Soundtrack
"Rider on the Rain" is also the main theme of the original movie soundtrack (with lyrics by Sébastien JaprisotSébastien Japrisot
Sébastien Japrisot was a French author, screenwriter and film director, born in Marseille. His pseudonym was an anagram of Jean-Baptiste Rossi, his real name...
and sung by French chansonette Severine
Séverine (singer)
Séverine is a French singer.Séverine won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971 for Monaco, performing "Un banc, un arbre, une rue" , with music by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre and words by Yves Dessca...
). The American singer-songwriter Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
wrote English lyrics for the song, and recorded it on her 1971 album Make It With You
Make It With You (Peggy Lee album)
Make It With You is a 1970 album by Peggy Lee. It was arranged and conducted by Benny Golson. The album peaked at #194 on the Billboard 200 in December 1970...
as "Passenger in the Rain".