Date and Time
- Sunday, Nov 9, 2025 1:45pm
Details
Special Features: Presented by Academy Award®-winning visual effects artist and film historian Craig Barron
Oscar®-winning visual effects artist Craig Barron is not only a leading figure in modern visual effects but also a renowned film historian, museum curator and educator with a deep focus on the history of cinematic illusions — from Hollywood’s studio era to the digital age. In an extended introduction, Barron will break down the groundbreaking visual effects of THE RAINS CAME — the first film to win the Academy Award® for Best Special Effects, triumphing over THE WIZARD OF OZ and GONE WITH THE WIND. His presentation will illuminate the technical artistry behind the film’s astonishingly realistic monsoon, earthquake and flood sequences, which set a new benchmark for special effects in Hollywood.
Set in British-ruled India, this sweeping romantic drama centers on Lady Edwina Esketh (Myrna Loy), a disillusioned aristocrat who arrives with her inattentive husband (Nigel Bruce), only to find her former lover (George Brent) now a cynical artist drowning in decadence. As natural disaster strikes, characters are forced to confront their own failures and illusions. Loy’s character is drawn to an Indian doctor (Tyrone Power), portrayed as the film’s only truly noble figure — a rare counterpoint to the usual portrayals of imperial heroism. Sensitively directed by Clarence Brown, the film subtly critiques colonial arrogance while delivering one of the most impressive disaster sequences of its era.
