A Hatful of Rain (1957)

A Hatful of Rain is an unusually stark look at the effects of drug addiction. Based on the stage play by future Godfather Part II actor Michael V. Gazzo, Rain contains some of the most intense family dynamics of any 1950s film. The performances are uniformly first-rate, particularly Don Murray as the junkie husband and Oscar-nominated Anthony Franciosa as his brother. Decidedly downbeat -- even for the often somber director Fred Zinnemann -- the film makes an effective statement against drug addiction, without succumbing to the simple-minded propaganda that often plagues stories of this type. If Rain has a weakness, it's that it occasionally looks set-bound, though cinematographer Joe MacDonald does his best to establish mood and prevent the film from becoming static. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide