Baby the Rain Must Fall
by Horton Foote
I purchased a copy of the novel Baby the Rain Must Fall because I liked the movie so much and wanted to know more of the backstory of the lead character. He had a troubled past and a complex, disturbing relationship with his adopted guardian; surely the original novel would explain all that, right? As it turns out, wrong. This thin paperback was written after the film’s release, published as a “companion novel”. There’s no explanation, no backstory, and nothing else that the movie doesn’t feature. The prose is very simply written, and while it does read in an old-fashioned manner, it’s not particularly impressive.
If you’ve never seen the movie, you can try it out. It’s a quick read with an honest story. A young man is released from prison on parole, and his wife and daughter come into town to try for a fresh start. Since it’s been so long since they’ve seen each other, their relationship is strained and full of uncertainties. He has to control his temper, support a family, report to his guardian, and choose between a respectable job and following his musical passions. But without Steve McQueen and Lee Remick, the book isn’t nearly as entertaining as the movie.
If you’ve never seen the movie, you can try it out. It’s a quick read with an honest story. A young man is released from prison on parole, and his wife and daughter come into town to try for a fresh start. Since it’s been so long since they’ve seen each other, their relationship is strained and full of uncertainties. He has to control his temper, support a family, report to his guardian, and choose between a respectable job and following his musical passions. But without Steve McQueen and Lee Remick, the book isn’t nearly as entertaining as the movie.