Raintree County 1957 May 2026

When the Civil War erupts, John enlists in the Union Army, partially to search for Susanna after she flees South with their young son. The film concludes with a tragic search in the Indiana swamp, where the elusive raintree is finally glimpsed. Cast & Crew

Raintree County (1957) is a massive, three-hour Civil War epic that attempted to capture the lightning-in-a-bottle success of Gone with the Wind . While it is celebrated for its visual grandeur and the chemistry of its leads, it is perhaps most famous for the harrowing off-screen tragedy involving its star, Montgomery Clift. Raintree County 1957

Set in 1859, the story follows (Montgomery Clift), an idealistic student in Indiana obsessed with finding a legendary "raintree" that supposedly grants all of life's answers. When the Civil War erupts, John enlists in

The film was the first ever shot using the MGM Camera 65 process (later renamed Ultra Panavision 70 ), which provided an extremely wide 2.76:1 aspect ratio. It was the same tech later used for the legendary Ben-Hur (1959). While it is celebrated for its visual grandeur

John is torn between his childhood sweetheart, Nell Gaither (Eva Marie Saint), and Susanna Drake (Elizabeth Taylor), a wealthy, captivating Southern belle from New Orleans.