WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN?

US, 1978, 126 minutes, Colour.
Nick Nolte, Tuesday Weld, Michael Moriarty, Anthony Zerbe.
Directed by Karel Reisz.

Who'll Stop The Rain is a drugs and gangster story - the difference is that it portrays involvement in peddling as one of the ugly side-effects of U.S. presence in Vietnam - that violence disillusions the idealist into corrupt cynic, that exploiters are ever-present, especially under cover of government and law enforcement and that the innocent and the naive suffer most - and that in this kind of world, victims asserting themselves or taking some stand is, at least, a shot at self-identification. Unfortunately, this overlong and not always gripping film is not as cogent as its message, blending sequences of realism with allegory of the grim state of the American nation over the last decade.

1. The significance of the title? The song at the end? The original was called The Dog Soldiers. The meaning of this title? More appropriate?

2. The purpose of making this film? Entertainment, strong plot, an allegory about America in the '60s and 1970s? A portrait of human nature? most of these elements?

3. The importance of the Vietnam background? Audience interest in and response to the war in Vietnam, America's involvement, the waging of the war, the bad side and after-effects, the effect on Vietnam, on American society? The visual presentation of the war at the beginning? The them of war and its repercussions on men? The violence of Vietnam? The use of drugs in Vietnam, peddling and drug circuits as the side-effect? The people involved in the war and their attitudes? Their attitudes towards the Vietnamese. towards their own superiority? Survival? How well did the film visually present these themes, verbally? Within the plot of a chase thriller?

4. The focus on John at the beginning, his writing his letter, visual presentation of his participation in violence, blood? The revelation of his attitudes before the war? The idealist, the reader of books e.g. Nietzsche, friendship with Ray, his marriage to Marge, his daughter? Yet the criticisms of his father-in-law about his character? How did he change through his experience from idealist to cynic?

5. The presentation of the drug ring - Charmian and her wealth, position in Saigon, contacts, large amounts of money? His contact with her and his being used? The irony of thinking that he was taking an important step and that his life was leading in this direction, his explanation of his involvement to Ray? The irony of Charmian's link with Anthell? The background of government, Washington connections, law enforcement people all using these cover-ups and officialdom for their own ends, greed, exploitation and violence? John entering a world in which he thought he was master but was actually victim?

6. The significance of John's absence from his home the night it was raided? His arrival by plane, going home, not understanding, not being able to give answers to his torturers, coming from war in Vietnam to torture in his Berkeley suburban home? Antheil and his pressure on John? His father-in law's advising him to run? The crudity of the men torturing him, then guarding him e.g. playing chess? Their prison background and his reading the book, watching them? The background of his play and Antheil's criticism of his pacifist attitude? Nicknaming him and referring to him by that name throughout the rest of the film? His being hostage. his presence in New Mexico, kneeling to be shot, his place in the confrontation? His escaping, his reunion with Marge. being saved by Ray? The impact of Ray's death. burying him as a soldier, throwing away the drugs? John as the focus of the film - the naive victim who wanted to assert himself but who was defeated? His insight, change of heart, future? His hopes for Marge? The baby? What would happen to John and Marge in the late '70s?

7. Ray as a contrast? With John in the Marines? His toughness, his martial arts exercise, his work on the ship? The reason for his agreeing to take the drugs? His background of marihuana peddling? one critic saw him as an American hero protecting his friends against evil. The soldier as mercenary, dog soldier? The tough American type, his arrival, his skill in getting the drugs from the Oakland port, the scene in the bar and his talking about Mexico. his comments on how things had changed from the beginning of the war?

8. His contact with Marge? His pressure to get her to act and have the money? His realisation that he was being followed e.g. at the port and eluding pursuit, pursuers' presence in Berkeley? His luring them inside. his skill in violence. torturing and humiliating them? His dominance on the situation, getting Marge and the baby. escaping to Los Angeles? Going to his hideout and calming down? His comments on his individual way of life, the relationship with Marge - the lack of sexuality? The importance of trying to get rid of the drugs, the contact in Los Angeles. going to the party with Gerald and his wife? His being betrayed by the pusher? The reason for his violence with the injections?

9. What was happening to him through this experience? His soliloquies about not being pushed, asserting himself? Selling the drugs as some means of self-identification - irrespective of moral issues and exploitation? His decision to go on the road, the elaborate set-up in New Mexico - natural beauty, electronic machinery? His friend, taking over the house? The way that he used the machinery and the lighting during the siege? His reaction to being besieged? John as hostage, Marge's wanting to go - even without saying goodbye?

10. What motivated his decision to change the drugs? Did he still hope to sell them? His military strategy in rescuing John and Marge, in shooting the two thugs? His being wounded, his being treated by his friend, the self-assertion in walking along the railway line. the sound of song and marching to his death? The tableau-like pose when John and Marge found him? His burial as a soldier? The meaning of his life, self-assertion. achievement?

11. The background of Berkeley as the centre of protest in the late '60s? The streets, the book shops? Marge’s father-in-law as the conventional American? Marge and the background of her marriage, home, love for her baby, the house? At work? Yet her addiction and need - and her not being able to explain why? John and his drug-dealing as a mystery to her? Marge as an amateur? Going along with Ray, her feelings about her child? Her ability to accept being on the run, the Los Angeles hideout, the violence, her wondering at his violence to Gerald and the others?

12. Her experience of the trip, Mexico, the siege? Her despising John. wanting to go down? The rescue. her weeping at Ray's death? Her need to throw off the drugs? The future of her marriage with John?

13. Audience response to the background of drug peddling, exploitation, drugs in Vietnam, officialdom, police using their official status as a cover for drug-running? The types in the drug world, the elegant people, the ex-convicts, the pushers, Los Angeles society, the change of money?

14. Antheil and his crookedness, his contacts. using the law? His handling of the siege? His seeing the drugs on the ground and the irony of his being shot by his companion?

15. America and violent deaths - and the parallel to Vietnam?

16. How well did the film work as a chase thriller, siege, set in western territory? Gripping, tense, or not?

17. Themes of people who are victims, naiveté? The need for self-assertion?

18. How well did the film work as an allegory of America in the '60s and '70s?