Rain: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A feature film with the title Rain. It consists of three (3) reels of black-and-white 16mm acetate film with optical sound (2017.55.14.1a, 2017.55.14.1b and 2017.55.14.1c), contained in three brown film cannisters (2017.55.14.1d, 2017.55.14.1e and 2017.55.14.1f).

Each cannister has a Learning Corporation of America logo printed at the top and a white label affixed to the middle with [AUDIO-VISUAL DIVISION / THE MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL LIBRARY / DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC LIBRARY / 901 G Street, N.W. Washington, D.C.] printed on it in black ink. Additionally, the film number, title and length can also be found on the white label. On 2017.55.14.1d, this is recorded as [Film No. X261 / TITLE RAIN / PART 1 / LENGTH 18min]; on 2017.55.14.1e: [Film No. X262 / TITLE RAIN / PART 2 / LENGTH 33min]; and on 2017.55.14.1f [ Film No. X263 / TITLE RAIN / PART 3 / LENGTH 34min].

The film follows Saidie Thompson (Joan Crawford), who has just arrived in Pago Pago, and chronicles her interactions with a local missionary (played by Walter Huston) who tries to reform her.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1932
• Directed by: Lewis Milestone, Russian American, 1895 - 1980
• Subject of: Joan Crawford, American, ca. 1904 - 1977
• Subject of: Walter Huston, Canadian, 1883 - 1950
• Subject of: Fred Howard, 1899 - 1960
• Owned by: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
• Type: sound films
• Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
• Type: feature films
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film and plastic
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 1): 20 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 700 Feet
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 2): 35 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 1250 Feet
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 3): 33 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 1200 Feet
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Place filmed: Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Pago Pago, American Samoa, United States, Oceania
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Hollywood (Film)
• Object number: 2017.55.14.1a-f
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.