Charles Bronson may be one of Hollywood history’s more unlikely movie stars, but one can certainly see his roguish, antiheroic allure in Rider on the Rain (1970). A twisty psychological thriller directed by René Clément, the film — while unfortunately shot through with ugly, period misogyny — possesses a certain compelling moodiness, and serves as a breakthrough showcase for Bronson, who manages to filter his character’s sleaziness through a certain jagged-edge charisma.
Mellie (Marlène Jobert) is a newlywed living in the south of France, often left at home alone by her airline pilot husband Toni (Gabriele Tinti). This proves fateful when a trenchcoat-wearing rapist arrives in town, follows Mellie home, and sexually assaults her. In self defense, Mellie kills the man and disposes of the body, but does not call the police, trying to put the event behind her — and perhaps keep her jealous husband from knowing what happened. Shortly thereafter, Mellie is approached by Harry Dobbs (Bronson), whose semi-friendly air very quickly becomes threatening. Dobbs soon reveals his suspicion: that Mellie’s husband is involved in the sordid dealings that brought the rapist to Mellie’s door, and that Mellie murdered the man. Assuming Dobbs is a detective of some sort, Mellie stubbornly denies the allegation, leading to an extended interrogation that turns her life upside down, forcing her to confront her criminal act while gradually uncovering Dobbs’ endgame.
Rider on the Rain suffers quite a bit from the normalized repulsiveness of its male characters. Indeed, Dobbs’ psychological torment of Mellie only slightly elevates him over the mean-spirited machismo of her husband and the violent depravity of her attacker. It’s all in keeping with the film’s mission as a psychosexual thriller, which Clément clearly cribs from Alfred Hitchcock — but without the softening Hollywood filter to make it more palatable. If you can set aside that issue, what remains has a peculiar dark-mystery appeal, boosted by interesting dialogue and a legitimate, if unconventional, chemistry between Bronson and Jobert. Its rough edges will likely be grating for certain modern viewers, but in many ways it’s an intriguing filmic artifact.
