Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Helloturia I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 1957 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Victoria: 17 July 1957. U.S. release: 14 June 1957. U.K. release: 17 November 1957. Australian release: 12 September 1957. Sydney opening at the Esquire. 9,572 feet or 106 minutes in the U.K. 109 minutes in the U.S. and Australia.SYNOPSIS: Don Murray plays the "junkie" who is very much in love with his pregnant wife, Miss Saint. But always there are the savage demands of his addiction which turn him into a creature at once pathetic and hateful. Living in the same apartment with husband and wife is Franciosa, brother and protector of Murray. To appease his brother's sick thirst for the drug Franciosa has provided money and made sacrifices. Finally Franciosa has no more money to give and the growing plight explodes over Murray's head. His wife, thinking his furtive disappearances signify another woman, plans to leave him. In addition, a trio of creeps, superbly characterized by Henry Silva, Gerald O'Loughlin and William Hickey, close in sadistically on Murray for payment of the drugs. NOTES: Tony Franciosa was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, losing to Alec Guinness in The Bridge on the River Kwai. The stage play by Michael Vincente Gazzo opened on Broadway at the Lyceum on 9 November 1955, running (at least to my mind) an amazingly successful 398 performances. Franciosa was the star, but Ben Gazzara played the junkie, Shelley Winters the wife and Frank Silvera the thick-headed father. Henry Silva was "Mother", his associates Harry Guardino (in his Broadway debut) and Paul Richards. Because of other commitments (no-one had expected the play would run so long), Ben Gazzara was forced to leave during the run, being replaced by Steve McQueen (also making his Broadway debut). The play was such a huge success, Fox had to fork out $250,000 just to buy the screen rights.comment: When this film was made, the subject of dope addiction had just been removed from the banned list on the Production code; and it was considered very daring and controversial and very up-to-date to make such a film — especially when the film was backed by the prestige and production team of a major studio. Of course, the subject had to be treated in "good taste" — a dictum that has certainly put the damper on any imaginative, courageous, controversial or really insightful handling here. In fact Zinnemann seems to have stepped as far back as the Pyramids to avoid giving the slightest offence or affront to anyone. Except for one solitary shot — Murray's tortured face seen through the slatted shadows of a venetian blind — the direction is stolidly unobtrusive. The players are often lined up across the screen as they would be on the stage. All our attention is firmly focused solely on the players and their dialogue. Fortunately, a lot of the acting can stand up to this sort of scrutiny (although Franciosa tends to over-act) and the dialogue has enough zing to keep the viewer reasonably engrossed. Some attempts have been made to open out the playscript, but the bulk of the action still takes place in the cramped quarters of the original stage setting.

Lechuguilla It's the story of two middle aged brothers, Johnny (Don Murray) and Polo (Anthony Franciosa) and the secrets they keep from their overbearing, self-centered dad (Lloyd Nolan). Given the era of the 1950s, the underlying secret is quite dark and foreboding. And the clever script leads viewers down the garden path for the first twenty minutes or so.Based on a stage play, "A Hatful Of Rain" builds drama, step by step, toward a riveting climax. Along the way, we get to know the personalities of these three men plus Johnny's wife, Celia (Eva Marie Saint). All of these characters are three-dimensional and very human. They deal with conflicts and disappointments as best they can.My main complaint is that the film is a bit lengthy; several segments could have been shortened or cut out altogether. Also, the villains, who show up after about twenty minutes are stereotyped; their appearance ends the mystery. I would have preferred that they seem less villainous and their motive less obvious, to prolong the mystery a bit longer. Finally, the background music is manipulative, but that's not unusual in 1950s film dramas.Casting is pretty good, though I could have wished for someone other than Don Murray as Johnny. Still, acting is terrific; all of the performances are convincing and believable. And although this isn't what I would describe as a noir story, the B&W noir lighting together with the wet streets and rain are ideal, given the film's depressing subject matter.Character driven and with excellent performances, "A Hatful Of Rain" provides viewers with a terrific drama, built around a human interest topic that was generally forbidden during the 1950s. Highly recommended.

sol ***SPOILERS*** Playwrite and actor Michael V. Gazzo's power packed and shocking film about drug addiction and what it not only does to the person evolved but his, or her, entire family as well.Korean War veteran Johnny Pope, Don Murray, has been trying to keep his addiction to heroin hidden from his pregnant wife Celia, Eva Marie Saint, since his discharge from the veterans hospital. It was there where Johnny was treated with morphine for injuries, mostly mental, that he suffered in the war. It's Johnny's brother Polo, Anthony Franciosa, who's been giving a desperate Johnny money to buy his drugs that resulted him blowing the $2,500.00 that he promised his and Johnny's dad John Sr, Llyod Nolan, he'd give him for a bar restaurant he bought back home in Palm Beach Florida.It's when John Sr came to visit his boys, who live in the same apartment in Manhattan's lower East Side, with Johnny's wife Celia that he realized that the cash he needed for his restaurant was a long lost memory. Polo who kept Johnny's addiction from his father, and who supplied Johnny with his father's money to buy his drugs, ended up being totally ignored by him as if he, not Johnny, was the black sheep of the family! On top of all that Johnny's wife Celia seeing Johnny leave the house and staying out all night, sometimes two or three times a week, felt that he was having an affair with another woman behind her back! In fact Johnny was out doing anything to get money, including mugging and robbing, to buy his drugs since the money-the $2,500.00-that Polo was giving him had since dried up!It's when Johnny's drug addiction got out of control with his drug supplier "Mother", Henry Silva, threatening together with his two goons Chuch & Apples, Gerald S. O'Loughlin & William Hickey, to break both his arms and legs if he doesn't pay up what he owes them that Polo finally comes to his senses. Polo stops covering for Johnny, at his own expense, and tries to finally have him get help! But by then it may be too late for him in that help may lead to Johnny, in trying to keep his addiction from both his wife and father, going cold turkey and dropping dead from heart failure!The last ten or so minutes of the film "A Hatful of Rain" are almost to painful to sit through and watch as Johhny tries to "kick" the habit macho-without professional help-style. Johnny who kept his addiction from his wife and father finally tells them the truth and, with his body acing for a fix, goes into drug induced convulsions that leaves him squirming in pain! It's Celia who was about to leave Johnny thinking that he's cheating on her who, besides his brother Polo, came to his aid. Celia made that life saving phone call to a drug rehabilitation center in the city to get Johnny to help that he so desperately needed!A bit dated but still effective film about the horrors of drug addiction with stand out performances by every involved. That included new comer Anthony Franciosa, as Johnny's guilt ridden brother Polo, who received an Academy Award nomination for best actor!

frankr315 For all you people who liked the film A Hatful of Rain you must get a copy of the play and read that also..It is brilliant. I taught the play for many years in my 12 grade English class. After we read it I would show the film. That film still holds up in many ways. I have noticed that that film plays often on Fox Movie Channel. Chance are you can catch it there if it is still not available to rent or purchase on DVD. All the actors in the film are perfect for their parts. Anthony Franciosa, Don Murray, Eva Marie Saint and Lloyd Nolan play their parts to perfection. Lloyd Nolan is VERY GOOD. His love for one son over the other over is played to the hilt. My students were most impressed with his performance. So will you.