A beautiful young woman in the South of France is raped by a mysterious masked assailant. She shoots him dead soon afterwards and dumps his corpse in the sea. Soon an American investigator turns up who seems to know what she has done.
- Patrick WaiJune 21, 2026One of the biggest surprises here is seeing Charles Bronson play more than just the usual tough guy. He still brings his trademark intensity, but much of the movie requires him to think like an investigator rather than simply intimidate people. Even more impressive, he spends most of the film speaking French. For an actor so strongly associated with American action roles, it shows a real commitment to the part. The mystery itself is engaging. The story gradually peels back layers of deception and misunderstanding, keeping the audience guessing for much of its runtime. The film wisely tells almost everything from Mellie’s point of view, which creates an unusual sense of uncertainty. We know only what she knows, and that perspective makes the mystery more effective. What has aged less gracefully are the attitudes toward women. The film opens with sexual violence that is difficult to watch, and several male characters display behavior that modern audiences would find deeply off-putting. Mellie’s husband is especially irritating. His chauvinism may have been more acceptable to some viewers in 1970, but contemporary audiences will likely detest him. Despite those issues, the film remains surprisingly watchable. The mystery is strong, the pacing is solid, and Bronson delivers one of the more interesting performances of his career. The decision to center the entire story around Mellie’s experience gives the movie a perspective that feels more modern than some of its gender politics. An intriguing French thriller that combines suspense, mystery, and an unexpectedly thoughtful performance from Charles Bronson, even if parts of it are firmly rooted in attitudes many viewers will find uncomfortable today.
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Rider on the Rain was released on January 21, 1970.
Rider on the Rain was directed by René Clément.
Rider on the Rain has a runtime of 1h 54m.
Rider on the Rain was produced by Serge Silberman.
A beautiful young woman in the South of France is raped by a mysterious masked assailant. She shoots him dead soon afterwards and dumps his corpse in the sea. Soon an American investigator turns up who seems to know what she has done.
The key characters in Rider on the Rain are Col. Harry Dobbs (Charles Bronson), Mélancolie 'Mellie' Mau (Marlène Jobert), Tony Mau (Gabriele Tinti).
Rider on the Rain is rated PG.
Rider on the Rain is a Thriller, Crime, Drama film.
Rider on the Rain has an audience rating of 6.2 out of 10.