The Rainmaker (1956) by Richard Nash In a world of drought comes a man who imagines himself to be a "rainmaker". This character has deep inner conflict between his passionate belief that he can bring the rain, although he has never been able to do it, and his terrible fear that he's a fool or mad. He meets a woman, falls in love, then suffers as she tries to believe in him, but turns away, convinced he's a charlatan or worse. He has a strong conflict with society some follow him as if he's a messiah; others want to stone him out of town. Lastly he faces implacable conflict with the physical world hot winds, empty skies, parched earth. If this man can struggle through all his inner and personal conflicts, against social and environmental forces and finally coax rain out of a cloudless sky, that storm would be majestic and sublimely meaningful. This is the story outline of "The Rainmaker" which was adapted to screen by Richard Nash from his own play. The Hindi classic Guide (1965) directed Vijay Anand based on the eponymous novel by R.K Narayanan seems very similar. Raju the "Guide" has the same inner and outer conflicts. He also falls in love with a woman who happens to be a dancer and married. He goes through sufferings as she becomes famous. He walks away from her but his mind still carries the baggage of the past. He reaches a drought ridden town where people think he's a messiah who can bring rain. Some people try to stone him to chase him out of the town. Lastly he faces the final conflict of the spirit and the flesh hot winds, empty skies, parched earth and the gods of the temple. He struggles through all his inner and personal conflicts,(with a fast-unto-death )against social, environmental and spiritual forces to finally coax rain out of the cloudless sky.
Review of Guide
