Soldier in the Rain
| Soldier in the Rain | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Ralph Nelson |
| Produced by | Martin Jurow |
| Written by |
Blake Edwards Maurice Richlin Based on the novel by William Goldman |
| Starring |
Jackie Gleason Steve McQueen Tuesday Weld |
| Music by | Henry Mancini |
| Cinematography | Philip H. Lathrop |
| Edited by | Ralph E. Winters |
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Production
company |
Solar Productions
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| Distributed by | Allied Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Author | William Goldman |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Atheneum |
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Publication date
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14 July 1960 |
Soldier in the Rain is a 1963 American comedy-drama film starring Jackie Gleason and Steve McQueen, and directed by Ralph Nelson. Tuesday Weld portrays Gleason's character's romantic partner.
Produced by Martin Jurow and co-written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards, the screenplay is based upon a 1960 novel by William Goldman and concerns the friendship between an Army Master Sergeant (Gleason) and a young country bumpkin buck sergeant (McQueen). The music is by Henry Mancini.
The film was released five days after President John F. Kennedy's assassination, which didn't help its box office take.
Sergeant Eustis Clay (McQueen) is a peacetime soldier who can't wait to finish his service and move on to bigger, better things. He is a personal favorite of Master Sergeant Maxwell Slaughter (Gleason), a military lifer who is considerably brighter than Eustis but enjoys his company and loyalty.
Eustis is involved in a number of schemes and scams, including one in which he will sell tickets to see an equally dim private named Meltzer (Tony Bill) run a three-minute mile. He inconveniences Slaughter more than once, including a traffic mishap that requires him being bailed out of jail.
Determined to tempt Slaughter with the joys of civilian life before his hitch is up, Eustis fixes him up on a date with the much-younger, not too bright Bobbi Jo Pepperdine (Weld). At first Slaughter is offended but gradually he sees another side of Bobbi Jo, including a mutual fondness for crossword puzzles. Eustis and Slaughter golf together and begin to enjoy the good life.
One night, Eustis is devastated to learn of the death of Donald, his dog. A pair of hated rivals use their status as Military Policemen to lure Eustis into a barroom brawl. He is beaten two-against-one and is nearly defeated when Slaughter angrily comes to his rescue. Together they win the fight, but the middle-aged, overweight Slaughter collapses from the effort.
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Wikipedia