Rider on the Rain (1970) User Reviews (37)

Killer on the Road, Yeah!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 2 August 2012]

*Note: the review title in subject refers to a line from the classic song "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors. Allegedly, singer/songwriter icon Jim Morrison was a fan of this movie and it inspired him to write what is perhaps the most legendary song of the band. If this piece of trivia info is only even remotely truthful, it's enough reason to track down and watch the film!

As for the film itself, "Rider on the Rain" is an absorbing and uniquely mysterious thriller with a downright fabulous first half hour and very atypical but brilliant performance by Charles Bronson. Throughout most of the 60's, Bronson depicted supportive characters in big productions ("The Magnificent Seven", "The Great Escape", "The Dirty Dozen", "Once Upon a Time in the West") and from the mid-70's and onwards he became hopelessly typecast as a lonesome and silent action hero ("Death Wish", "The Mechanic", "Telefon"…). But what few people know is that Charles Bronson appeared in a number of vastly superior European (more specifically French and Italian) cult movies during the late 60's and early 70's, and in these films he actually illustrated intellectual, eloquent and occasionally even very sinister characters. "Rider on the Rain" truly has one of the moodiest intros ever filmed, as we witness how a tall and uncanny looking man gets off a bus in a French coastal town near Marseille. Whilst meandering in the pouring rain, he spots the feisty redhead Mellie and follows her home. He rapes the girl, but she manages to kill her assailant with a shotgun. As she has an egocentric mother and a mistrustful husband, Mellie chooses not to call the police and dump the body from a cliff into the sea. This goes well until the next weekend at the wedding of a friend; Mellie is approached by a handsome but mysteriously behaving American who asks her a lot of strange questions. This man, Mr. Dobbs, suspiciously seems to know a lot about the crime Mellie committed and brutally attempts to force her into confession.

"Rider on the Rain" actually spirals down TOO MUCH into Hitchcockian mystery/thriller territory. The first couple of encounters between Mellie (short for Melancholy, in fact) and Mr. Dobbs are truly intense and compelling because you assume that the pieces of the puzzle will gradually fit together later on. But then the emphasis stubbornly remains on secrecy and endless dialogs and we receive not the slightest bit of information in return. The film is quite long – just over two hours – and we literally have to be patient until the climax before getting any answers. Your curiosity stays, of course, and the acting performances from both Charlie Bronson and the foxy Marlène Jobert remain a joy to behold, but sadly the movie eventually is too talkative and overlong to be considered as an essential must-see in the thriller genre. This is already the second time I run into this issue with a René Clément film, actually. "The Deadly Trap" also revealed absolutely nothing of its plot until the final five minutes. Luckily enough, "Rider on the Rain" still has a fascinating concept, a strong opening and excellent performances, whereas "The Deadly Trap" was just an incoherent and pretentious mess from start to finish. Clement is often referred to as the French Hitchcock, but from what I've seen he tries to be too much of a Hitchcock copycat. I will urgently have to check out some of his older work, like "Forbidden Games" and "Purple Noon", as those are reputedly genuine masterpieces. And yet, this one still comes warmly recommended if only to see a totally different side of Charles Bronson.

Unique psychological French thriller

[PTaylor129 · 8/10 · 6 June 2020]

Considering its huge success in France and much of Europe at the time of its release, René Clément's Le Passager de la Pluie/Rider on the Rain (which also won the golden globe award for best foreign film) has been relatively forgotten. Yet, after 50 years, the film remains a highly original, captivating thriller, filled with peculiar imagery, symbolism and suspenseful mystery. Though it has some Hitchcockian influences and makes some homages to the great master of suspense, it is really a unique mystery, unlike anything made before or after it. From its moody opening sequence in the rain, to a chilling rape scene, the film develops into an idiosyncratic intrigue, that entices the viewer largely thanks to the interactions between its two magnetic main characters, played by Marlene Jobert and Charles Bronson, both on their way to become two of the most popular stars in France at the time. The two enjoy amazing chemistry, as Bronson tries by any means to get Jobert to admit that she has killed the man who raped her and Jobert does her best to outmaneuver him. Though this cat and mouse game goes on for most of the film, the viewer's attention is maintained through some interesting plot twists and imaginative dialogue that has some amusing recurring themes. The beautifully melancholic musical score by Francis Lai greatly contributes to the strangeness of it all. What makes the story particularly meaningful, however, is that the central plot is clearly an allegory for Jobert's character's subconscious and conscious struggle as a fragile, repressed and dominated young woman, who through traumatic events, manages to eventually confront her demons and assert herself. In this sense, despite the abusive treatment of her character (interestingly named Melancholy), the film is arguably well in tune with the rising feminism of the period. Marlene Jobert's superb performance is key to the film's success. She is very convincing and charming in her girlish portrayal of this modern Alice in Wonderland, effectively conveying innocence, confusion, fright, hysteria, sadness, and a range of other emotions. Meanwhile, Charles Bronson is excellent as her enigmatic pursuer and saviour, whose real motives are not clear until more than halfway through the film. Bronson, who had recently become an international star with Once Upon a Time in the West, plays his usual tough guy persona, but with more depth and intelligence than most of the roles that would follow. Ultimately, Le Passager de la Pluie works thanks to the performances of this duo, which is maybe why it is not more remembered. Unfortunately, Jobert became much less active in films from the 1980s, while Bronson became increasingly associated with a vengeful, violent persona, rather removed from the more interesting character he plays here. Incidentally, it is worth noting that the French version of the film is more satisfying that the English one, where every-one except Bronson is dubbed, mainly because the dialogue works better in its original language.

Great film, but do not buy the Orbit DVD!

[heyesydays · 8/10 · 3 April 2006]

The film 'Rider On The Rain' (or, French title 'Le Passager De La Pluie') is simply a gem. But, do not buy the awful DVD from Orbit Media, released April 3rd 2006. There is hardly any colour and the print is atrocious! I have complained to Orbit and they said they are checking copies, but it is simply a case of poor quality in the Way the DVD has been made from the master. This is the worst DVD release I have ever seen. The picture is not clear enough either. I can't believe this mess. The only place you can get this film is France, but it's all in french (with Charles Bronson dubbed in French). However, the French DVD is by STUDIO CANAL and the print is breathtaking! Be warned.

Information about my favorite film

[lor_ · 19 March 2008]

Here are some background facts about Rider on the Rain -it's my all-time favorite: I saw it many times in Philly during its initial release and bought a 16mm print from Avco Embassy in the '70s to study it, doing a shot-by-shot analysis.

CLEMENT: Director René Clément, an avowed Hitchcock admirer, in a book of essays about his own work (unfortunately never translated from French) stressed the importance of detail -little items of design, recurring motifs, repeated camera moves, as the essence of his cinema. Repeated viewings of Rider reward one with these carefully set up details that go beyond the usual surface effects (without Spoilers, watch for the shtick with the walnuts, subtle camera moves, and esp. the careful obscuring or revealing of objects in the frame, e.g., by the bus early on, or the camera angles of the body removal scene). He was a master director, winning 2 Foreign Film Oscars with diverse classics including Gervaise, Forbidden Games, Purple Noon, Battle of the Rails, Monsieur Ripois and The Walls of Malapaga, as well as one ripe for rediscovery -The Sea Wall. His love of detail is on full display in Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (Clément was technical adviser). It's no coincidence that the mysterious title character in Rider is named Mac Guffin as a Hitchcock nod, well-played by the sinister Marc Mazza.

JAPRISOT: The screenwriter, whose pen name was an anagram of his real moniker, based this script on Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, opening the film with a perfect table-setting quote: Either the well was too deep, or she fell very slowly..., which explains heroine Mellie's adventure to come. Known for A Very Long Engagement, his other recommended films include the very clever Isabelle Adjani thriller One Deadly Summer, and the very odd film of his novel The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, directed by Anatole Litvak. Lady features perhaps the longest flashback scene used as an explanation in a film's denouement, even outdoing the flashbacks that were the basis of the Barry Newman TV series Petrocelli or even the current Lost series.

BRONSON: Rider was a key film in Charles Bronson's career -a huge hit all over Europe and his breakthrough as a star, after gaining int'l success in ensemble casts for Once Upon a Time in the West and The Dirty Dozen, as well as Far East popularity opposite Alain Delon in So Long, Friend. His name in the cast is Col. Dobbs, but on the soundtrack and colloquially in France his character was known just as The American (see soundtrack LP for The American's Theme), becoming something of an iconic figure. His assurance, mysterious manner and (as Charles Laughton once praised him) great presence/center of gravity on screen add immeasurably to the film. I met him once in NYC while interviewing Michael Winner during the filming of a Death Wish sequel, and Bronson at the time was planning to do an American remake of Rider on the Rain for Cannon Films but it never happened. For the French language version of Rider his role was dubbed by expatriate blacklisted director John Berry, and there has always been a debate over the value of the French vs. English soundtrack version of Rider (Bronson dubbed vs. rest of cast dubbed; analogous to Burt Lancaster in the 2 versions of Visconti's The Leopard).

JOBERT: Marlene Jobert was the most popular gamin actress in France at the time, having starred in L'Astragale (a remarkable true story adapted from the novel by the woman who lived it, Albertine Sarrazin), and went on to make unsuccessful international films but one classic, Maurice Pialat's We Won't Grow Old Together, which I saw at the NY Film Festival with her in attendance. She is central to Rider's success and was lauded by Judith Crist in a rave review when it came out. There is a great scene near the end of the film with plenty of Alice in Wonderland atmosphere when she is taken by prostitute Marika Green to see Corinne Marchand (the iconic French actress/chanteuse of Varda's Cleo from 5 to 7), in which Clément makes great effect of the height differential between the women. Jobert met and married Marika's brother Walter and their daughter is French star Eva Green of James Bond fame, an interesting followup to the Rider casting. Another more famous singer, Belgian star Annie Cordy, plays Jobert's mother in Rider, and it spring-boarded her acting career.

FRANCIS LAI: The soundtrack album (well worth hunting for) enshrines one of Lai's best and for me most memorable scores, truly indispensable to amplifying the strange, rainy day, off-season in a Riviera resort town mood of this unique film. Best known at the time for his A Man and a Woman score, he did Love Story soon after Rider.

SERGE SILBERMAN: The producer of Rider was a great filmmaker, now little remembered (outside of France) since his death. I got to interview him during one of his lesser efforts, filming James Toback's Exposed with Rudolf Nureyev in NYC (I appear unpaid as an extra in that film, one even Toback booster Pauline Kael couldn't love). Besides the 5 later films of Luis Bunuel he produced, Silberman has his share of other all-time classics as producer, not by accident: Melville's Bob le flambeur, Jacques Becker's Le Trou, Beineix's Diva and Kurosawa's Ran. It's an amazing track record spanning a career of only a couple dozen films.

It's slowly growing on me.

[pmtelefon · 7/10 · 11 September 2019]

I read somewhere that "Rider on the Rain" was Charles Bronson's favorite of all the movies that he made. I don't really understand that. He made quite a few better movies than this one. It has taken me several viewings of this film to begin to appreciate it. "Rider on the Rain" is almost a really good movie. It has a nice vibe to it. Bronson and the dreamy Marlene Jobert work well together. The movie is a little bit too long and gets a little confusing at times. The music is hit and miss. Although "Ride on the Rain" doesn't quite hit the mark for me, I do find myself watching it every once in a while. Just for the record, I enjoyed this movie tonight more than I have in the past.

Fascinating art-house thriller starring Charles Bronson...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 31 December 2007]

"Rider on the Rain" is a slowly-paced and occasionally confusing mystery from French director René Clément with disappointing passages but a shrewd sense of time and place, and a keen eye for detail. Plot involves a young woman who has killed her rapist and disposed of the body, later meeting a shifty stranger who somehow knows her secret. Vividly-rendered film stays in the mind, with pungent dialogue and incredible, moody atmospherics, though the story does take a few wrong turns. If you can get passed this, you'll find an exceptional, arty thriller, one with a terrific finale. Good cast headed by Charles Bronson, in one of his best early roles. **1/2 from ****

Effective change-of-pace for Bronson

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 30 April 2021]

"Rider On The Rain" features one of Charles Bronson's best performances: he is enigmatic, very menacing, and quasi-villainous (sample line, to Marlene Jobert: "I think I could beat you" - "I've never played bowling before" - "I wasn't talking about bowling"). Most of the film is a slow yet tense cat-and-mouse game between him and the sexy, magnetic Jobert (who is both vulnerable and strong), but some of the tension is lost as the film eventually runs too long for its own good. **1/2 out of 4.

unusual thriller

[myriamlenys · 6/10 · 15 September 2020]

While alone in her house, a young woman gets raped by an unknown intruder. Soon afterwards, she shoots him with her rifle, in self-defence. She decides to keep the whole episode secret and does her best to destroy the various traces. Suddenly a second male stranger shows up, this time in order to ask a lot of questions...

"Le passager de la pluie" is a French thriller with a memorable, slightly surreal atmosphere and look ; it feels as though reality were turning first into a dream and then into a nightmare. The thriller plot itself is complicated, even over-complicated. One gets the impression that this is a case where less would have been more.

Much of "Le passager de la pluie" consists of a long psychological duel between the rape victim and the man who pursues her with his relentless enquiries, which translates as a long psychological duel between Marlène Jobert and Charles Bronson. It's a master stroke of casting, since the tiny, delicate, small-boned Jobert is pretty much the opposite of the rough and tough Branson. However, this material raises quite a lot of questions. The man continues to pester, annoy and harrass a woman who - and this must have been clear almost from the beginning - is a victim rather than a perpetrator, to wit an inoffensive citizen who was foully raped and had to resort to violence in order to save her very life. As the movie progresses, he drives her nearly out of her mind with worry and fear. And the problem here is that the movie rather suggests the male character is not a bad person : it continues to find reasons/excuses for his behaviour. I'm sorry, but a person who knowingly and willingly adds to the misery of a victim IS a bad person, period.

In the movie, the woman keeps quiet about the rape, presumably because she can't face the additional stress of talking about her ordeal to a lot of (male) strangers, many of whom would be sure to make critical remarks about sexy nylons or short skirts. She's also fearful of harming her marriage, given the fact that she's married to a jealous and domineering husband liable to explode in a variety of unlovely ways. All over the world, hundreds of thousands of women have found themselves in a similar situation - and the problem continues to this day. Tragically, rape still features among the most underreported crimes.

A final note : the movie includes a great performance by Annie Cordy, in an unusually serious and complex role.

Great Movie Led by Greatest Leading Man of All-Time

[actionpro · 10/10 · 9 July 2003]

This movie, simply put, is Charles Bronson at his absolute best, and proves that he does indeed have the ability to handle drama/suspense. He delivers an extremely convincing performance which is, arguably, his very best. It is too bad that this movie is as obscure as it is, because if it had been produced state-side and been more mainstream, he might have enjoyed a much more critically-acclaimed career, deserving of a lifetime achievement Academy Award. However, this is not the case and die-hard Bronson fans get to enjoy this little gem while the rest of the world misses out because they were too busy shunning the unfairly typecast Bronson.

French thriller with intrigue , plot twists , suspense and great actors giving nice performances

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 18 April 2022]

The tale deals with the plight of a woman : Marlene Jobert , who kills a strange man who previously attacked her . She is soon pursued by a mysterious American : Charles Bronson. Later on, happening various twists until a surprising final. Bronson at his brutal Best! .The glass keeps out the rain but not..her terror ! Her attacker ! Her victim! Who will he terrorise..who will he attack ..who will be his next victim?

Stunning and gripping Hitchcock-style thriller made in the French coast. This is a complex thriller with intriguing events , suspenseful , twists and turns . Concerning a criminal act carried out by an unhinged rapist and subsequently , dumping a body into the sea , thus starts a riveting game of cat and mouse , resulting in fateful consequences . A promising start with a woman going home , leading to a lonely mansion , unaware that she has a surprise into the trunk of her car and the movie spirals into a a Hitchcockian mystery , in fact the dead man's name is eventually revealed , resulting a tribute to the Master , to be MacGuffin , which is rather nullified , at times. Charles Bronson gives one of his finest screen acting as a peculiar and mysterious investigator. While Marlene Jobert is decent as the deranged wife who is harassed by an assailant . Support cast is pretty good with full of familiar French actors, such as : Annie Cordy, Corinne Marchand , Marika Green , Jean Gaven as Inspector Toussaint , Jean Piat as Mr Armand , Yves Massard as a henchman , Mark Mazza as a sex maniac , the Italian Gabriele Tinti and Jill Ireland : Charles Bronson's wife .

It displays a sensitive and moving musical score by Francis Lai, in his usual style .As well as colorful and evocative cinematography by Andreas Winding .The motion picture was glossy and brilliantly directed by Rene Clement . This craftsman was a good French writer and director who made a lot of films durante the 50s , 60s and 70s , such as : Purple Noon , Gervaise, The Day and the hour , Joy house , Rider on the rain, The deadly trap , And home to die , Wanted: Babysitter. And his two greatest successes were : Is París burning? , and Forbidden Games. Rating : 6.5/10 .The flick will appeal to Charles Bronson fans .

Bronson and René Clément create an odd arty fusion!.

[hitchcockthelegend · 5/10 · 3 August 2008]

We are in the South of France, the gorgeous Mélancolie 'Mellie' Mau finds a mysterious stranger is stalking her. She is then raped by the man and after finding him still in the house after the attack she shoots him dead and throws his body into the sea. Sometime later, tough grizzled American, Col. Harry Dobbs, walks into her life and appears to know everything that has happened.

Every once in a while i come across a film that leaves me both intrigued and highly frustrated, Le Passager de la pluie is one such film. I have rated it down the middle with a 5/10 rating because i have to sit on the fence with it, it has many qualities that obviously hit the spot for many viewers, yet it's something of a chore to get through as well. Filmed as a sort of dreamy pondering piece by René Clément, the film is never less than interesting, and at times quite beautiful in texture. Just going by the user comments on IMDb it's apparent that the appearance of Charles Bronson has divided many a viewer, those proclaiming that this turn shows a depth to his acting are quite right, it does, but ultimately when his character gets mean and kicks some, it's the high point of the film, a victim of typecasting it may be, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it Charles.

Fans of Bronson macho movie heaven need not apply here, this is a different animal completely, those into art-house cinema will love the dream scape feeling on show here, René Clément knows his onions for sure, and i was personally enthralled by the performance of Marlène Jobert as Mélancolie 'Mellie' Mau, if i can get any other films she has been in then i'll be an interested viewer. Yet the film falls down for me because after an opening third that is quite brilliant, one that makes me feel that a sense of fear and dread has invaded my well being, the piece sinks into that mantra of style over substance that appears to be pandering for all genre watchers.

I'll never watch it again, but i'm strangely glad that i did catch it.

Classic

[megavenganceman · 9/10 · 6 July 2004]

I finally tracked down a copy of this rare gem on VHS here in T.O. and what can I say, this is an underrated and unique piece of fimmaking. I don't believe there's been anything like it before or since. The best use of Bronson's action hero persona since "Once Upon a Time in the West". It really is a shame that in the thirty plus years of Bronson's film career that he never found anything approaching this quality. Intelligently written and beautifully filmed, the movie resembles something of a photographed play with the lovely Marlene Jobert and Charlie squaring off in an unusual cat and mouse tale almost entirely consisting of their two characters during its' running time. I am officially begging either Anchor Bay or Blue Underground or whoever to produce a widescreen DVD of this little known film treasure.

TWA and scalextric

[AAdaSC · 7/10 · 21 May 2017]

Bus passenger Marc Mazza lands in a Southern French town/village and immediately notices local girl Marlène Jobert (Mel). He does more than notice her……and she takes revenge. Mysterious Charles Bronson turns up soon afterwards and is interested in the whereabouts of this mysterious passenger along with a bag that he was carrying. He cosies up to Jobert and tries to get her to confess the truth as to what has happened but she is wise to the game he is playing even if she doesn't fully understand it. Neither do we. Who is Bronson and what does he want?

The film has two very different sections. The beginning segment grips us with suspense and a feeling of dread that plays against a background of rainfall. Then Bronson appears and things get mysterious but also slightly comic and the film exudes a James Bond-like atmosphere. The cast are good, especially Annie Cordy (Juliette) in the mother role. You are definitely convinced that there is a lot more to her character. She is very strong. However, at the film's heart we have Jobert and Bronson and Jobert is the better actor. Bronson is whatever Bronson does – cruising through the film throwing in some comedy here and there. It's an entertaining film with a satisfying conclusion and leaves you on the upbeat. It could have been very different given the final section as things unravel.

What's the fuss?

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 22 September 2018]

I admit that all of the rave reviews of RIDER ON THE RAIN surprised me somewhat, because I found this a very ordinary and unremarkable picture. The best thing about it is a certain European atmosphere that makes it feel distinctly French in tone; there's little to fault the direction, it's just the story that feels aimless. Things begin well with some well-judged perilous moments in the psycho-thriller mould, but afterwards this becomes a drawn-out character affair that feels a little like an attempt at a psychological Polanski flick. The long conversations between Bronson and the lead don't really go anywhere, and the rest merely fizzles to a mundane conclusion.

Great change from the ordinary

[bjones · 29 July 2004]

I find it hard to say why exactly but I liked this film. It was well made, well acted and different enough that it wasn't the usual predictable Hollywood pulp. I'd recommend it for anyone who has more than a few brain cells to rub together as at least a refreshing change of pace that shows films can be both different and entertaining.

Charles Bronson has a reputation for making mostly the other kinds of films so this is very different for him. The French spin adds something hard to define but enjoyable. The female lead is wonderful to watch too.

I found I really enjoyed the sets and locations and, yes, especially the rain. Perhaps rain overdoes some moodiness in a way but I find I love to see a film with rain in it as a backdrop. Maybe that comes from living in a place where I rarely see and real rain.

Nevertheless, I'd buy this if I could find it locally, especially if it was on wide format DVD. I don't think anyone who was behind the project gave it enough support when it was a new film (I originally saw it in an "art house" cinema) and I certainly don't think the mainstream types will support it now. I think it's a rare gem of film making and deserves to be preserved, owned and watched by lots of new people. I'll keep looking for it along with other rare but obscure gems I'd love to own.

I'd rank it among the best movies of 1970

[jgcorrea · 7/10 · 12 March 2020]

1. Le cercle rouge 2. Tristana 3. The Molly Maguires 4. Woodstock 5. Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto 6. Le boucher 7. Les choses de la vie 8. Five Easy Pieces 9. The Ballad of Cable Hogue 10. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes 11. L'aveu 12. Il giardino dei Finzi Contini 13; Domicile conjugal 14. Catch-22 15. Ryan's Daughter 16. Le passager de la pluie

CHARLES BRONSON EFFECTS A STYLISH-SEXY "ART-HOUSE" THRILLER

[LeonLouisRicci · 6/10 · 1 October 2021]

With the Help of Acclaimed French Director Rene Clement, Bronson's Dramatics are Fine.

Up Front of HIs Usual Macho Shenanigans.

It's a Beautiful Looking Film with Beautiful People, Lush Coloring, and a Stylish Thriller Template.

The Plot can Get Very Confusing in this Over-Long, but Constantly Engaging Thrill-Ride.

But if You Go With it for the Visuals and just let the Story Unfold, it is a Satisfying and Very Off-Beat Role for Bronson.

Things can seem Silly and Somewhat Irritating with the One-on-One Between Charlie and the Sexy and Forever Cute Marlene Jobert. Like the Over-Use of the Nickname "Love Love".

Also, Bronson Threatening the Rape Victim with Violence and the Unforgivable "Forced" Alcohol Scene.

This Psycho on the Loose Film is a Few Cuts Away from a Great Film.

As it Stands, a Fine Ride for the Thriller Crowd and Charles Bronson Fans.

Note...Apparently this was one of Jim Morrison's (The Doors) favorite Films and Inspired the Song Title "Riders on the Storm".

Unforgettable Thriller

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 31 December 2007]

A lonely passenger of a bus arrives in a rainy day in a remote place in Marseille; he stalks, follows and rapes the gorgeous Mélancolie 'Mellie' Mau (Marlène Jobert), who is married with a jealous husband that is a navigator of Air France and is coming back home. Mellie shoots and kills the masked rapist, but she does not call the police; she prefers to dump his body in the sea and destroy the evidences of his identity. Sooner, the mysterious Harry Dobbs (Charles Bronson) arrives in the location and meets Mellie. Harry seems to know what she has done, scaring Mellie and forcing her to tell the truth.

The cult "Le Passager de la Pluie" is one of those unforgettable thrillers of my adolescence, with intelligent and witty dialogs in the duel between Mellie and the smart Harry Dobbs and one of the most beautiful music scores of the cinema history. In this movie, Charles Bronson certainly has the best performance of his successful career, and Marlène Jobert is impressively beautiful performing a very clever character. Unfortunately this film has not been released on DVD in Brazil, but at least the rare VHS has a good quality of image. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Passageiro da Chuva" ("The Passenger of the Rain")

"Talk, talk, love, love"

[kipper-2 · 5/10 · 25 December 1998]

Rene Clement's film "Rider on the Rain" is a real disappointment in my opinion. The movie has been praised by critics and fans alike, but I didn't see what all the talk was about. Actually, there is way too much talking in this film if you ask me, and not enough suspense. Charles Bronson plays Harry Dobbs, an investigator on the search for a serial killer. His path leads to a small French village and to Mellie played by Marlene Jobert. The rest of the film basically consists of Bronson (also well known as "Chuck" or "Old Stone Face") confronting the Mellie character and forcing her to drink full pints of Jim Bean. The dialogue is not as creative as the critics may claim also. Chuck often refers to Mellie as "love, love"; this gets really old, really quick. The highlight of the movie is just watching old Chuck deliver his lines...the guy is such a character. I gave the film 5 out of 10 stars. If you want to see a real great Clement film watch "Purple Noon".

Bronson at his best

[legendaryunderdog · 9/10 · 10 April 2008]

Upon watching this movie I really had only the Death Wish films to rate Bronson by but after watching the "Rider on the Rain" I can understand why he was an acclaimed actor. His role in this movie was superbly amazing as the 'I know what you've been up to undercover', his acting is unbelievable and I up until this movie had never seen him act so well and have so much dialogue. Granted I'am very unfamiliar with foreign films (to me they can be confusing at times, maybe that's just a concentration problem on my behalf?) and acting back in 1970 was a whole lot different than today, but nonetheless this movie is worth having on your shelf. It always takes me a few viewings to fully grasp the concept of most films but already by watching it this first time I'am really convinced that this could be his best outing (with the exception of the first Death Wish and Cold Sweat). I still have yet to see more Bronson classics but I'm just getting started and this one definitely 'wowed' me. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is a Bronson fan, must see stuff. 9 out of 10 stars.

Rider ,please pass by.

[dbdumonteil · 5/10 · 5 July 2005]

At the time ,Clement's career was slipping ,slowly but inexorably.This thriller is not "plein soleil" (the first version of "the talented M.Ripley )or even "les félins" ,by a long shot.After the twenty first minutes which promise great things ,the screenplay peters out and we 're left with Marlene Jobert's grimaces and Bronson's tricks.Pretension has showed up too:quoting Lewis Caroll is not enough to create mystery and suspense.It's the supporting cast that walks away with the honors:Annie Cordy,who tackled here her first dramatic part ,is very convincing and Corinne Marchand ("Cleo de 5 à7" star) plays a small part too.

It was bad but René Clément was to sink lower with his three last works ("la maison sous les arbres" "la course du lièvre à travers champs" and "la babysitter") ,a sad and tatty end for a director who gave us ,outside "plein soleil" ,such gems as "forbidden games" or "les maudits".

great movie

[aatiya · 9/10 · 14 September 2009]

I saw this movie two or three times in the theater in 1971, when I was ten years old. My brother was obsessed by the movie and he used to take me. Now, after 38 years I saw it again on DVD, and it evoked some memories! I had still remembered since then some of the memorable scenes, like opening the fist of the rapist's body to find the button, and Charles Bronson giving Marlene Jobert the button. It is a great movie. One of the few earliest thriller/romance of its type (post-Hitchcock) to come out. The chemistry between Charles Bronson and Marlene Jobert is great, and I liked the walnut-throwing metaphor. It is a classic!

This one deserves more than 10, it's more than excellent

[RodrigAndrisan · 11 June 2016]

René Clément was a great French filmmaker, which gave us masterpieces like "Purple Noon"(1960)Plein soleil(original title), "Joy House(1964) Les félins(original title), "Forbidden Games"(1952)Jeux interdits (original title), "The Deadly Trap"(1971)La Maison sous les arbres (original title), "Gervaise"(1956), etc., one better than another. "Rider on the Rain"(1970)Le passager de la pluie(original title), if it's not his best film, is definitely the most special, totally different from all the others. Based on a novel by Sébastien Japrisot (famous French author of crime novels), the film has a completely different atmosphere, a little strange, as if from another world, and yet so realistic, as in everyday real life. We have here two great actors, Marlène Jobert and Charles Bronson. Jobert is more delicious than ever, you feel the need to eat her, so sweet she is(the villain of the film has a very different opinion...). Bronson, the one and only Charles Bronson, is more relaxed and funnier than ever. It's probably his best role ever. All the actors are impeccable, including Jill Ireland, Gabriele Tinti, Jean Gaven, Jean Piat, Corinne Marchand, Annie Cordy. Francis Lai's music is superb. One of the greatest films in the history of cinema.

Were they really this wooden back then?

[sarkara · 3/10 · 19 October 2020]

I love the early 70s movies, big changes happening everywhere, dress sense and hairstyle hasn't yet gotten as ridiculous as the 80s, and expansive, colorful cinematography without CGI. But I just didn't get the hype about this movie. The characters are wooden and one-dimensional, their behavior implausible and ridiculous and the dialogue badly scripted. Tell me, if a strange man starts harassing you and acting all macho, what would be your most logical reaction? Whatever that might be, they did the opposite in the movie.

Sick of the "typical Bronson film" comments

[zensixties · 10/10 · 14 February 2000]

Yes, folks, I'm sick of reading the comments "more violence from Bronson". This in my opinion is a minor masterpiece of a film. It creates an atmosphere; that of '60s Europa. Those who can't get into this film can't get into the '60s. I can see how Jim Morrison based Riders on the Storm on this. Marlene Jobert is great as the naive woman who stumbles into Bronsonian intrigue. The film itself directed by Clement is a success in expressing artistic vision in the guise of a "typical Bronson film". The comedic interplay between Bronson and Jobert make the film. It's basically an esoteric love story with that '60s feel that only us Jim Morrisons can appreciate.

Aside from this film I think Bronson is a great, cool, and at times brilliant actor. His great underrated films include: Death Wish (I hate every Death Wish sequel), Evil that Men Do, Mechanic, Once upon a Time in the West, and all his '60s and '70s stuff. His '80s stuff is the throwaway stuff.