What horrified me about this story was that the judge, the neighbors and most of the town knew this man as a little boy was being beaten on a regular basis by the woman the judge gave him to. The judge even laments years later after Henry's many problems and imprisonment that he wishes he had not given the boy to this woman, who apparently had power because of money, but no money when she dies in the film. At any point he could have removed the boy and found him a better home. Was this woman above the law? He says he thought it was better than an orphanage when Henry as a small child ends up at the police station crying, apparently abandoned by his parents or parent. Now Henry cannot keep from acting out his years and years of suffering even though out of jail, working, singing again in band and with his wife again and his child he never knew till now. He does not know why he is like that and what is wrong with him. This is about more than being just a bad person who cannot go straight. At one point someone says they asked this woman why she beat Henry so much and her answer it was good for him, he needed it. So they do nothing to help him. No one helped him as a child and now as a adult they do not help him when they all know he was beaten all of the time and still fears this woman years later even though she is elderly. Excellent acting and a haunting, tragic story.

It seems that every, single time I see Steve McQueen in any movie (be it from the beginning, the middle, or the end of his career), I always end up asking myself - "How the hell did this dull, non-charismatic bloke ever become a big-name star?" I find McQueen to be one of the blandest, insincere and unconvincing actors of his (or any) generation. Far from being what I would consider a "cool" dude, McQueen really had a tendency to grate on my nerves with his blah character portrayals.And if having to endure McQueen's dreary screen-dynamics was bad enough, I think that when it came to the depressing and absurd nature of this film's story, the viewer would have to be pretty dense and mighty gullible to take its utter nonsense at face value.From my point of view, this film's only really worthwhile moments were the unintentionally hilarious scenes where McQueen (who was unconvincingly playing an ex-con with a mean, hair-trigger temper who's now trying to make it as a rockabilly singer) lip-syncs during his live performance on stage at the town's local hot-spot.Man, you wouldn't believe how really bad McQueen was at lip-syncing. Not only could he not get his mouth in sync with the words, but the voice of the real singer did not suit McQueen at all.Ha! What a laugh-and-a-half! McQueen was so pathetically bad that I couldn't help but burst out laughing.Set in the town of Columbus, Texas - This clichéd "rebel-without-a-cause" story really sucked. I thought that its title "Baby, The Rain Must Fall" was very unfitting, since all of the troubles (rain) that fell on McQueen's character were clearly brought on by his own stupid actions.P.S. - Had this film not starred McQueen, then, yes, I might have actually rated it somewhat higher.

I gave this film a 4 rating despite the good story and characters. Why? McQueen turns in his usual good performance because he's a pro. But for me it was not a memorable one. It seemed like McQueen's attempt at James Dean. It just isn't McQueen. Lee Remick was also beautiful and turned in a good performance but not as intense as her Sherwood character in 1962's "Experiment In Terror." The over all cast carried the film. What got lost on me is the vocalizing McQueen had to sing to. The vocals simply don't match his face. You can tell immediately this wasn't McQueen's voice. Voice and face is a tricky match when it isn't your real voice. McQueen's dramatic acting while not excellent was better than most actors of that time. The failure came when he started to sing the songs. I guess no one musically coached him. He looked painfully amateurish. But it's the type of thing that can be forgiven easily. The movie is somber and poignant at times but if you don't pay attention a viewer can get lost. The story is a good one. Did anyone catch a young Glen Campbell over McQueen's shoulder in the first performance song of the movie? Everyone starts somewhere.

Based on a short-lived Horton Foote play "The Traveling Lady", this character study focuses on faithful wife Remick, who is reuniting with her husband McQueen who has just been released from prison after several years following a stabbing. Arriving in his hometown, she is surprised to find that he has actually been released for close to a month and is working for room and board at a local couple's home while pursuing a career as a honky-tonk singer at night. Overseeing his behavior with great dismay is his decrepit foster mother Simmons, who prefers him to attend night school in order to make a living. As McQueen struggles to readjust to life on the outside, now with a family to support, he longs for Simmons' approval of his dream to sing for a living. Meanwhile, as Remick begins to break under the weight of McQueen's issues, local Deputy Sheriff Murray provides support, even as he is grappling with the loss of his own spouse. Remick, an actress who usually exuded brains and sophistication, tries hard here to present a simple and plain character and generally succeeds. McQueen takes on a role that is almost autobiographical in terms of the character's past. He is quite authentic and believable except when it comes to the singing. Here he is notably poor at lip-synching and effectively rendering the musical numbers in the film. It's a shame because, otherwise, this is among his best work as a legitimate actor. Murray is amiable and sensitive. Block gives a very unaffected and naturalistic performance as McQueen and Remick's little girl. (This is her only screen credit.) A number of talented character actors dot the cast, though most of them could do a lot more than for what they are called upon. It is perhaps not the most arresting movie since very little actually happens over the course of it, but it does contain some committed acting work from its cast, sports some nice black and white photography, has a vivid, weary, small-town atmosphere and begins with Saul Bass-inspired credits. Also, the title tune (a hit single for Glen Yarbrough) and another one or two numbers are heard. Impatient viewers may bail out long before the end, though fans of the stars should see it and will likely enjoy it.