Miracle In The Rain

Directed by Rudolph Maté, Miracle In The Rain manages to coast along on the charisma of its stars right up until around the one-hour mark – at which point screenwriter Ben Hecht offers up a twist that could (and should) have marked the film’s conclusion (ie the forty minutes that follow are about as needless as one could possibly imagine). The film casts Jane Wyman as a mousy secretary who meets and falls in love with a visiting soldier (Van Johnson’s Art Hugenon), with much of the emphasis placed on their subsequent exploits in and around New York City. It’s all very frothy and lightweight, and there’s little doubt that Wyman and Johnson’s captivating work is what generally keeps things interesting (Johnson is particularly effective here). The inclusion of several entirely needless subplots, including an appearance by Alan King as a loud-mouthed fellow soldier, only pads out the already-overlong running time, while the aforementioned (and endless) third act certainly doesn’t do the movie any favors (nor does the exceedingly silly conclusion). And yet it’s ultimately difficult not to be drawn into Miracle In The Rain‘s undeniably romantic atmosphere, with this undoubtedly vibe maintained by Wyman’s thoroughly heartbreaking performance.

**1/2 out of ****