The Rain People
Part of the special series FROM THE HEART
When the unhappy Natalie Ravenna (Shirley Knight) leaves her husband to find out whether she could have done more with her life, she realises that she is pregnant. She wanders aimlessly through the USA and meets the young hitchhiker Jimmy Kilgannon (James Caan), whose naive nature makes Natalie think. Through her friendship with the football player, Natalie slowly begins to take responsibility for her unwanted pregnancy.
The Rain People was awarded the Golden Shell at the International Film Festival in San Sebastián in 1969. Filming took over five months and took place in 18 different states. To minimise transport costs, Coppola travelled with a crew of just ten, supplemented by regional team members on location. The lead actress Shirley Knight was actually pregnant with her second child Sophie during filming.