Raintree County (1957)

11% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
53% of users liked it
(581 ratings)

Conceived as a Gone With the Wind for the CinemaScope generation, Raintree County wasn't quite as successful as its role model, but it still proved a moneyspinner for MGM. Elizabeth Taylor stars as a spoiled Southern belle who falls in love with pacifistic Indiana youth Montgomery Clift. Though… More Conceived as a Gone With the Wind for the CinemaScope generation, Raintree County wasn't quite as successful as its role model, but it still proved a moneyspinner for MGM. Elizabeth Taylor stars as a spoiled Southern belle who falls in love with pacifistic Indiana youth Montgomery Clift. Though Clift is engaged to Eva Marie Saint, what Taylor wants, Taylor gets, and she isn't above using the dirtiest of deceptions to win Clift's affections. When the Civil War break out, Clift, a staunch abolitionist, joins the Union, much to the dismay of true-to-Dixie Taylor. While Clift is off fighting the war, Taylor descends into a depression that deepens into insanity. At war's end, Clift tries to come to terms with Taylor's lunacy for the sake of their child. But the strain proves too much for both of them, leading to an operatic climax which curiously segues into a happy ending (happy for some of the characters, anyway). If Montgomery Clift's performance--and appearance--seems to fluctuate wildly throughout the film, it is because he was involved in a serious auto accident during shooting, one that left both physical and emotional scars from which he never completely recovered. The 187-minute Raintree Country (reduced to 168 minutes after its initial roadshow engagements) was adapted by Millard Kaufman from the best-selling novel by Ross Lockridge, Jr. (whose own life story was infinitely more tragic than anything in his book). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Edward Dmytryk
Written By: Millard Kaufman
Genres: Drama, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: Dec 20, 1957 Wide
On DVD: Feb 27, 2007
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

, TIME Magazine
Begins in tedium and ends, 168 leaden minutes later, in apathy.
Variety Staff, Variety
Picture lacks highlight material; even the war scenes don't quite have the necessary impact and the relationship between Taylor and Clift could have been charged up more.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
This mammoth color picture, which now runs twelve minutes shy of three hours, gives evidence of being outfitted with every extravagance save a script.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
A memorable if generally unsuccessful attempt by MGM to bring back the glory of Gone With the Wind.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The acting of Liz Taylor and Monty Clift is not bad, but MGM's effort to recreate another successful Civil war melodrama in the mold of Gone With the Wind is disppointing for many different reaons.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Handsomely mounted and boasts a superb cast.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
At best it's only mildly interesting.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
MGM's attempt to repeat the success of Gone With the Wind turned out to be an elephantine bore.
, Film4
History as soap.

Read all 9 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

There are a lot of great actors in this movie (keep an eye out for DeForrest Kelly in a small role), but it's a boring civil war romantic drama. Gone with the Wind is much better than this movie. Overall it's okay, though.
cody f

I'm a sucker for the 50's epics and this one isn't the best, but it is enjoyable to watch. Monty is a man believed destined for greatness, but is sidetracked when he leaves his life long love(Gorgeous Eva) for Bat-Shit Crazy Liz Taylor,all while the Civil War is going… More
I'm a sucker for the 50's epics and this one isn't the best, but it is enjoyable to watch. Monty is a man believed destined for greatness, but is sidetracked when he leaves his life long love(Gorgeous Eva) for Bat-Shit Crazy Liz Taylor,all while the Civil War is going on. Liz does a great job as a southern racist and wacko and Monty is great as the most patient and tolerable man I've ever seen. The whole cast is good and it has the great Lee Marvin as Monty's drinking and war buddy. This is the film that Monty had his disfiguring car wreak on and you see some changes throughout the film, but nothing too noticeable.

Cast

            Montgomery Clift as John Wickliff Shawnessy

            Elizabeth Taylor as Susanna Drake

            Eva Marie Saint as Nell Gaither

            Nigel Patrick as Prof. Jerusalem Webster Stiles

            Lee Marvin as Orville "Flash" Perkins

            Rod Taylor as Garwood B. Jones

            Agnes Moorehead as Ellen Shawnessy

            Walter Abel as T.D. Shawnessy

            Jarma Lewis as Barbara Drake

            Tom Drake as Bobby Drake

            Rhys Williams as Ezra Gray

            Russell Collins as Niles Foster

            DeForest Kelley as Southern Officer

            Ruth Attaway as Parthenia

            Oliver Blake as Jake the Bartender

            Nesdon Booth
            
            William Challee
            
            Isabelle Cooley as Soona

            Jack Daly as Photographer

            Michael Dante as Jesse Gardner

            John Eldredge as Cousin Sam

            Robert Forrest as Spectator

            Robert Foulk as Pantomimist in Blackface

            Dorothy Granger as Mme. Gaubert

            James Griffith as Man with Gun

            Myrna Hansen as Lydia Gray

            Stacy Harris as Union Lieutenant

            Rosalind Hayes as Bessie

            Frank Kreig
            
            Luana Lee
            
            Donald Losby as Jim Shawnessy at Age 2 1/2

            Mickey Maga as Jim Shawnessy at Age 4

            Owen McGiveney as Blind Man

            Gardner McKay (II) as Bearded Soldier

            Burt Mustin as Granpa Peters

            Bill Walker as Old Negro Man

            Charles Watts as Party Guest

            Phil Chambers as Starter

            Michael Dugan as Nat Franklin

            Don Burnett as Tom Conway

            Phyllis Douglas
            
            Sue George as Girls

            Janet Lake
            
            Millicent Patrick
            
            Eileen Stevens as Miss Roman
See full cast