Tries to be GONE WITH THE WIND from the Northern point of view
RAINTREE COUNTY tries to be GONE WITH THE WIND from the Northern point of view, but falls short, mostly due to the leading man, Johnny (Montgomery Clift). Johnny is a clueless piece of eye candy who reacts to everything with a sad, puzzled expression and inappropriate calm. I'm not sure if Johnny is written that way or if it's Clift's interpretation. It's nice that Johnny stands by his wife, even after she confesses she has lied in order to manipulate him into marriage; but most normal guys would get angry. When he learns his wife is severely mentally ill, Johnny is likewise loyal without displaying any shock or sorrow. His lack of passion --- even around the two gorgeous women who are madly in love with him --- make Johnny hard to identify or sympathize with. He's not necessarily unrealistic, just not the right person for the centerpiece of an epic film. It's like GONE WITH THE WIND from Ashley Wilkes's viewpoint: not terribly thrilling. A minor character, Flash, threatens to steal the show, especially in his heroic battle scene where he holds off several Rebel soldiers so Johnny can run away. Yes, Johnny has to run in order to save his son's life. But Flash offers to sacrifice himself and Johnny just says OK and trots off with a blank expression. Other people make the important decisions for Johnny, who's mostly a follower. The film also needs editing, and the ending is tragic but the up-tempo music and the characters' smiling faces tell us this is a HAPPY ending. (It will be --- eventually --- but not minutes after witnessing something horrible). RAINTREE COUNTY is worth watching, and the story has potential. But it would have been much more exciting with Susannah (Elizabeth Taylor) as the main character. Or even Johnny's childhood sweetheart, Nell --- especially if she dropped her torch for Johnny and hooked up with Flash.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned