Jazz In Film

Raintree County: When Love Meets the Storm of History

Sometimes love stories aren’t just about two people—they’re about the forces of history that threaten to tear them apart.

Raintree County (1957), directed by Edward Dmytryk, brings together a powerhouse cast: Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, and Eva Marie Saint in a sweeping drama set against America’s most tumultuous era.

The setup is deceptively simple: a poet and teacher, fresh from graduation, falls head over heels for a captivating Southern woman. But this is where things get complicated—because the Civil War is brewing, and she’s carrying secrets from her past that could destroy everything they’re building together.

What elevates this film beyond typical period romance is John Green’s evocative musical score, anchored by “The Song of Raintree County” with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. On the soundtrack, you’ll hear the unmistakable velvet voice of Nat King Cole bringing the song to life, while George Fields‘ harmonica solos add an earthy, haunting layer to the storytelling.

This is epic filmmaking from Hollywood’s golden age—where personal drama and national tragedy collide, where love has to survive not just misunderstandings but the literal breaking apart of a nation.

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