Raintree County 1957 May 2026

The film was the first ever shot using the MGM Camera 65 process (later renamed Ultra Panavision 70 ), which provided an extremely wide 2.76:1 aspect ratio. It was the same tech later used for the legendary Ben-Hur (1959).

Susanna tricks John into marriage by falsely claiming she is pregnant. As they move between Indiana and New Orleans, Susanna’s mental health deteriorates, haunted by secrets regarding her family and a tragic fire from her childhood. Raintree County 1957

With an estimated cost of $5 million , it was the most expensive film MGM had produced up to that point. Despite being a box office success, its massive costs meant it struggled to turn a profit. The film was the first ever shot using

Raintree County (1957) is a massive, three-hour Civil War epic that attempted to capture the lightning-in-a-bottle success of Gone with the Wind . While it is celebrated for its visual grandeur and the chemistry of its leads, it is perhaps most famous for the harrowing off-screen tragedy involving its star, Montgomery Clift. As they move between Indiana and New Orleans,

John is torn between his childhood sweetheart, Nell Gaither (Eva Marie Saint), and Susanna Drake (Elizabeth Taylor), a wealthy, captivating Southern belle from New Orleans.