Raintree County Movie Analysis

During the mid-1900`s, mental illnesses were rarely discussed in mainstream media due to negative stigma surrounding mental illnesses. As a result, characters in film rarely had mental disorders because of the directors` worries of audiences` reactions to how the illnesses were portrayed. Director, Edward Dmytryk, however, attempted to diminish the stigma through his film Raintree County (1957) with Susanna Drake Shawnessy`s mental instability. Elizabeth Taylor`s portrayal of Susanna, however, heightened the stigma surrounding mental illness as Susanna constantly acted immature and childlike. During the film, Susanna continually behaves erratically, similar to an adolescent throwing a tantrum. When her husband, a known abolitionist, requests

After Susanna leaves Johnny and Raintree country, she quickly realizes that she needs Johnny in her life as a paternal figure, so she deceives him into marriage by faking a pregnancy. Due to her mental instability, Susanna believes that she finally found another father-figure in Johnny after her father died, so therefore, she will do anything to trap Johnny into a life with her. Additionally, since she craves Johnny`s attention similar to a child, Susanna does not want to disappoint Johnny and goes as far as changing her ideals on slavery by ridding herself of slaves simply to placate to Johnny`s wishes. Moreover, towards the conclusion of the film, when Neil encourages Johnny to run for public office, Johnny is unable to as he must take of his unstable wife, causing Susanna`s worst nightmare comes true: disappointing her “father”. As any child would, Susanna yearns to gain back her father`s trust, so she attempts to fix her their relationship by finding the raintree Johnny searched for in his youth. In the end, Johnny`s rejection of Susanna as a “daughter” caused her to commit suicide, since she was devastated by losing two of her fathers. As a result, the film portrays mentally unstable people as immature and unable to live independent lives. Although the director of Raintree County attempts to create a progressive