neocanuckbd A muddled attempt to achieve a great movie that fails on nearly every level and an absolute waste of time to watch unless you are into unintentional camp failures.

themonster0 Many people have savaged this film over the years, but like 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' I have to watch 'Raintree County' every time it is on TCM.Considering the tragic accident that happened to Cliff during the filming, I am always in wonder that director Edward Dmytryk was able to make a film that holds together so well. The acting, cinematography and the writing are excellent. Even in the scenes where you can tell Cliff is in pain, his acting is great. Taylor, as always, is her excellent self.True, the film is long, but don't let that scare you. This film is worth the time to sit down and watch.

kindtxgal This is a fantastic Civil War film divided before and after the War of the States. I recommend that prospective viewers catch it on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) as I note that the DVD version offered is only 1:23 in length. The actual length of the film is 2 hours and 53 minutes, so I would wonder why the DVD version is so much less in length, not even a full feature length of 1:30. Just a thought. So, having rewatched it again, this time on TCM, I find that it's truly a fantastic movie...great actors, particularly Montgomery Clift who was seriously injured during its filming in an off-set automobile accident -- the resulting injuries serving to affect his remaining life in a negative way. It's interesting to watch the camera work post-accident. That aside, all of the acting roles are precise and everyone gives their roles their all. Montgomery Clift clearly shone out in this films and warranted an Academy nomination at minimum, as well as Best Picture nomination, neither which occurred unfortunately. Thus, it sometimes is passed over. For Civil War enthusiasts, it's a must see. Just enough of the fighting and struggle is shown to make its point without going overboard. For me the film is about love, commitment, and the power of holding onto a dream, real or fictional.

mcbride500 I read the novel before I saw the film. The book was magical despite its odd pattern of flashbacks that were out of chronological order. At 1100 pages, the story suffers mightily when compressed to fit the length of the film. I believe that the film starts about 1859 and ends in about the year 1866 while the book covers 1839 thru 1892. The plot was significantly altered regarding the Susanna Drake character also.I enjoyed the film and think that it was wonderfully cast. The book dwells at length on the natural beauty and the eternal character of Raintree County. This is hard to capture on film without narration. I hope that a more robust version of the story will someday be developed.