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John Doe’s 20 Favourite Rainy Films
20 Great Scenes in the Rain
Ridley Scott integrates rain as an unspoken character throughout Blade Runner.
Today, as the storm clouds unleash nature’s fury upon Johnny’s life he is inspired to share a list of films that he tends to watch when the skies open up and it looks like he might need to contact Noah regarding space on an ark.
As the lightning strikes, thunder cracks and a deluge of H2O plummets from the clouds above, John Doe has to wonder, is he the only one who lets the weather outside dictate his choice of films?
Having the external, real world atmosphere seep into his artificial celluloid fantasies makes for a far more immersed viewing experience, it’s a booster amp that guarantees the mood is right. The patter of rain hitting the roof assisting the filmmaker’s goals as it sets a tone that transports JD into an alternate reality.
Rain is sometimes used as a metaphor for cleansing the soul in the visual motif. Other times it can reflect sorrow or pain. It can facilitate challenges that must be faced by some on a quest for adventure, torrential downpours demanding a survivalist attitude. Sigmund Freud may say that “a cigar is just a cigar”, but rain used in cinema is seldom just rain.
Inevitably the noir genre and it sub categories feature, after all what would heavy shadows and lurking subterfuge be without a tempest that defines the dark and gloomy urban landscape of murky mystery and inevitable confrontation.
Melodramas, science fiction and haunted horror films that use the crack of thunder to announce impending doom, to put the viewer on edge and add an extra dimension of terror or intensity both in subtext and in character jeopardy also feature.
Other selections on this list maybe just for a single scene that uses rain in a memorable context. Or one that is just unforgettable and would never have achieved its goals without stuff falling from the sky.
By no means a definitive list, this was done on a whim and I hope that you, the readers will offer your own contributions. (NB* List is in no particular order other than when they came to mind.)
Dark City
Science Fiction meets classic noir as John Doe (Rufus Sewell) unravels the mystery of his identity the rain falls until the sunlight of truth breaks through. - See also Alex Proyas' The Crow
Blade Runner
Deckard (Harrison Ford) and Batty (Rutger Hauer) face off and futile sorrow drops from the heavens.
Magnolia
Paul Thomas Anderson goes biblical as the storm of cathartic emotions brings about a reptilian meteorological event that sees frogs falling from the sky.
The Big Sleep
"I'd rather get wet in here."
Tough as nails PI Phillip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) gets caught in a shower and seeks shelter in a bookstore. Not one to waste and opportunity he is soon getting deluxe customer service from the wallflower store clerk until the clouds part.
Watch THE BIG SLEEP Bookstore Scene in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Key Largo
Pivotal to the plot, the approaching hurricane forces hotel guests to stay indoors. The backdrop leads to gangster Rocco (Edward G Robinson) pressing Frank McCloud’s (Humphrey Bogart) buttons and conflict ensues.
Murder by Death
A potentially murderous host is determined for cliché to be respected so when he invites his guests to a diabolical dinner party in his reclusive mansion. The need for a dark and stormy night sees an artificial machine creating the essential thunder cracking that sets his mood just right.
Rashmon and Seven Samurai
Kurosawa further pioneered the rain in film metaphor with many of his works. Seven Samurai and Rashamon are just two fine examples.
Lethal Weapon
Mr Joshua (Gary Busey) and Detective Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) work up a sweat after a foot pursuit and face off for a final confrontation that gets wet and wild.
Streetfighter
Sonny Chiba’s final battle in the rain is nothing short of Kung Fu nirvana.
Singin’ In The Rain
It really had to be included didn't it? Positive thinker Gene Kelly joyously jumps puddles and swings on lamp poles while most normal people would rather dance indoors.
Sorcerer
As if the daunting Andes Mountains weren’t enough jeopardy for a small fleet of nitroglycerin laden trucks, torrential downpours see flash flooding rivers and bogging mud testing metal to extremes.
Identity
Agatha Christie’s 10 Little Indians gets a psychological twist as a violent storm forces a bunch of strangers together. It also clues us in to a deeper revelation.
JD is not the first to notice that several of John Cusack’s films feature scenes in the rain, Say Anything and High Fidelity being two additional personal favourites.
The Innocents
There are so many great horror films that use storms to raise tension and The Innocents is a one worthy of the homage it inspired. This creepy scene sees the diabolical truth revealed as Deborah Kerr has been questioning her sanity.
Young Frankenstein
“Could be worse, could be raining?”
Unforgiven
When bad man Munny (Clint Eastwood) finally succumbs to his nature hard liquor is consumed and then he rides into town to unleash a bloody storm of justice.
Glengarry Glen Ross
Desperate salesmen compete with each other and their motivation is further tested by a downpour.
Se7en
Would it have been the same without the persistent cloudy gloom?
Sin City
Robert Rodriguez adapts Frank Miller's seminal graphic novel that throws back to the classic noirs of the past. Though this clip doesn't actually see the rain fall, it is in the air and adds to the stylized tone.
The Quiet Man
Soaking romance, the graveyard kiss may never have happened without the Duke’s sheltering of Deborah Kerr.
Click here to watch the scene from The Quiet Man
So what are some of your favourite scenes in the rain?
Horrorphile
I love that you acknowledge rain as another character in Blade Runner ...
Can I add any others ...?
Withnail and I ... The Jag with one working windwiper.
"I think a pig shat in my head ..."
Horrorphile
Screen Adventure
The Streetfighter is a great one! I also like The Quiet Man
I also had a passing thought the other day about how it seems to rain on lucky Leo these days in most of his films - especially in shutter island and inception
Film & TV on DVD
Great additions there, I very purposefully left off a lot of horror films for you to fill in.
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Right you are Shaun,
I only saw Shutter Island this week for the first time. Good god I could write a 100 page thesis on the use of paper, ash and water raining down as a metaphor for a crumbling sanity.
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Of course Breakfast at Tiffany's counts Mel,
One of the first romance films to use rain in such a way, but not the last.
Personally I didn't enjoy teh film as much as some, found Holly to be an annoying character and the men to be less than desirable.
Thanks for commenting, hope to see you again soon.
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Thanks Matt,
That was the purpose of the post. many overlook staging in the rain having a deeper purpose but at the least it always succeeds in creating a richer mood.
As for The Matrix, despite its over rated status (Give me Dark City any day) it certainly used rain well in that scene.
On the topic of over rated, i'm glad no one bought up Shawshank Redemption
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Great list - I also had a chuckle at Magnolia and the raining in Unforgiven was so powerful, just love that movie.
I could be wrong but I also remember reading somewhere a few years back that Die Hard 3 had the first car chase in rain with abundant stunts - that thing where the car does a 360 and he shoots them on the spin - crap Die Hard film but I did like the car chase
And I can't forget the rain scene in Shawshank Redemption and the kiss scene in the rain upside down in Spiderman
Film & TV on DVD
I can't remember much about Die Hard 3 other than it was lame. (While no where near matching the caliber of the first I didn't mind #4)..point is i will take your word for it there was a rainy car chase.
I disliked Shawshank immensely (overly sentimental, cliched and worst of all no rough edges or depth) and the rain scene stood out for me as highlighting what was wrong with it. (Still I'm sure plenty agree with you as it seems to be a popular movie for certain sorts of people).
The Spiderman one was memorable, but very contrived...still it was a comic book film so it fit even though it pulled me completely out of the film.
Surprised you didn't list the Leo in the rain moments like Shaun
Thanks for dropping by and contributing.
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
I AM SORRY LEO
How on earth could I forget all those scenes in R&J. My very bad!!
Film & TV on DVD