Set in 1859, the story follows (Montgomery Clift), an idealistic student in Indiana obsessed with finding a legendary "raintree" that supposedly grants all of life's answers.
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.
When the Civil War erupts, John enlists in the Union Army, partially to search for Susanna after she flees South with their young son. The film concludes with a tragic search in the Indiana swamp, where the elusive raintree is finally glimpsed. Cast & Crew
Midway through filming in 1956, Clift was involved in a near-fatal car crash after leaving a party at Elizabeth Taylor’s home. Taylor famously saved his life by pulling dislodged teeth from his throat to keep him from choking. Clift returned to finish the film after weeks of surgery, leaving a visible "before and after" difference in his appearance between scenes. Plot Summary
