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| “The Rains of Ranchipur.” Charismatic Richard Burton & femme fatale Lana Turner give one another the attention whereas her husband Michael Rennie appears oblivious… This state of affairs appears acquainted! |
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| Burton would replay this state of affairs for actual in 1962! |
What occurs once you combine cleaning soap suds with man-made or mom
nature’s calamities? The result’s Hollywood “catastrophe” films, at all times a film
staple. The style hit their peak within the Seventies when Irwin Allen arrange beloved stars
in probably the most fundamental situations, solely to be knocked down like bowling pins.
The Rains of Ranchipur is a ‘50s instance, with stars who
undergo emotional and bodily turmoil. A wealthy couple journey to India to purchase a
race horse. The spouse is rich and does as she pleases, whereas the husband
suffers stoically, and spends her cash. At their host’s occasion, one take a look at an
Indian physician and the spouse will get a fever! Theirs and a few supporting characters’
plots plod alongside till the titled torrents wash some sense proper into their
brains. If this had been an Irwin Allen flick, a couple of of the supporting forged
would have washed away. Whereas not setting the silver display screen ablaze, Lana
Turner, Richard Burton, and Fred MacMurray do properly sufficient of their roles in The Rains of Ranchipur. Lana offers an old-style
film star efficiency, Richard surprisingly underplays, and Fred provides up a
veteran star going by means of his paces.
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| Michael Rennie’s Lord appears on as Girl Lana Turner greets previous pal Fred MacMurray. Eugenie Leontovich appears skeptical because the Maharani in “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
Whereas The Rains of
Ranchipur has been in contrast unfavorably to the 1939 model, The Rains Got here, the previous is not any nice
shakes, both. Each are escapist leisure finished adequately. The unique
has Myrna Loy, Tyrone Energy, and George Brent, on the top of their
freshness. And new star Energy at the least seemed
unique because the Indian physician. The ’39 model made almost thrice as a lot at
the field workplace because the ’55 model; the latter was solely a reasonable hit.
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| Cool poster for a lukewarm film, 1955’s “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
There have been quotes attributed to Richard Burton
concerning Lana Turner’s performing skills. Nicely, Turner wasn’t Davis or
Stanwyck, however she knew learn how to give a film star efficiency when confronted with
lesser materials. So did Joan Crawford and later, Elizabeth Taylor—it will need to have
been within the MGM Handbook! Turner’s wealthy playgirl is pure dime retailer romance,
however she performs the stereotype fairly entertainingly. Lana Turner was 34 right here. Although
Lana’s prematurely previous her youthful freshness, it is nonetheless good to see her
glamour earlier than it turned shellacked in Imitation
of Life.
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| Mid-stardom, Lana Turner is introduced ravishingly, 1955’s “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
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| But in all of the promo pics, Lana Turner appears ghostly! |
As for Burton, he admitted through the years that he was not
the very best bodily actor and relied a lot on his nice voice. Honest sufficient. Nonetheless,
he appears like a soldier standing at consideration; sitting, he slumps in a not very
main man-like posture. In fact, the world’s most well-known Welshman appears
absurd in a turban and brown face as Dr. Safti. But, Richard is putting to
take a look at in his good-looking youth, with blue-green eyes much more piercing with the
make-up. It has been famous that as brown-faced Burton has extra scenes with golden
Lana, his pores and skin tones change into lighter. Love is unusual, because the tune goes! Richard
does not over-act, as he may later do, however he’s very minimal, which is perhaps
the best technique to play this position, when so unconvincingly forged as one other
nationality.
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| Richard Burton’s sensible Hindu physician additionally has sensible blue-green eyes! |
Michael Rennie has the unenviable position as cuckold husband Albert
to Turner’s adventuress spouse. Rennie’s
stone face made him good because the customer from outer house, however taking part in
reverse one of many flashiest stars in MGM’s galaxy is a thankless activity.
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| Fred MacMurray as Tom Ransome, a superb man who drinks an excessive amount of in “The Rains of Ranchipur.” Fred’s expression jogs my memory of Benedict Cumberbatch right here. |
Fred MacMurray, as Lana’s long-time good friend Tom Ransome, is
the wealthy consuming man. Fred’s stable, however nonetheless on the stodgy facet, and a bit on
autopilot. His love curiosity is Joan Caulfield as Fern, who is meant to be
faculty age, whereas Fred was in his mid-40s. Joan was really 33, a 12 months
youthful than lady of the world Lana! Caulfield goals to transcend the standard
second lead ingénue position and is barely overbearing. Right here, Joan’s perky interactions
with world-weary Fred are only a bit too treasured.
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| Eugenie Leontovich has a subject day because the willful Maharani, who spars with Lana Turner’s playgirl over Richard Burton’s sensible doc, in “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
Russian actress Eugenie Leontovich, who performs Burton’s mother-figure
because the Maharani, is one other light-eyed Indian. And she or he has a subject day
overplaying the Indian grande dame, which is saying one thing, because the position
was initially performed by Maria Ouspenskaya. Film followers might recall Leontovich as
the wheelchair-bound lady in William Fort’s cult traditional, Homicidal.
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| The characters of “The Rains of Ranchipur” work collectively throughout the titled catastrophe. |
As for Lana, although her character has married Michael
Rennie’s for the title, she’s the cash luggage. In order that explains how Lana is a
“Girl,” however how on earth did a Lana find yourself taking part in a personality named
“Edwina?!” I smiled each time she was addressed as “Girl
Edwina.”
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| Lana’s Girl Edwina is shocked when Doc Burton’s thoughts wasn’t on HER whereas tending to the survivors of “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
Except for Burton’s disparaging quotes about Lana, Turner
has protested maybe a bit an excessive amount of that she discovered Richard unappealing as a
man and star. Joan Collins would make the identical claims shortly after, with The Sea Spouse. As neither lady was
significantly discriminating when it got here to males, I preserve a wholesome skepticism
towards their stances. It is amusing that Burton and Turner, two of
Hollywood’s largest gamers, claimed to not get private off the set. And it’s very amusing that Burton performs a
character that has been chaste!
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| Turner’s Girl Edwina redeems herself in a ultimate reel from “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
Fox’s Travilla didn’t do Lana Turner’s wardrobe, and Lana
introduced her MGM type crew together with her to Fox, together with designer Helen Rose. Maybe
Travilla obtained his revenge on her later with the gaudy get ups of The Huge Dice!
Jean Negulesco directs competently, if not along with his typical refined
type. The Nineteen Fifties was flooded with studio remakes of their golden oldies, and The Rains
of Ranchipur was a by the numbers rehash. The situation capturing was in
Pakistan, however did any of the celebrities really go there?
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| The chemistry between Lana & Richard does not set the Cinemascope display screen on fireplace, however they’ve their moments, in 1955’s “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
The Rains of Ranchipur is a mildly entertaining film for
some lazy time in your favourite chair, for film stars and studio type.
After Lana Turner’s comeback in The Unhealthy within the Lovely, it was again to doing junk like The Rains of Ranchipur. Right here’s one in every of
Turner’s greatest, my take right here:
https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-bad-and-beautiful-1952.html
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| My fave scene: after surviving sickness & floods, Lana’s first order of enterprise is placing her make-up again on, in “The Rains of Ranchipur.” |
