1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Mid-budget at $70M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Hard Rain
"A simple plan. An instant fortune. Just add water."
1998 1h 37m EN
😐
5.9
MID
★5.9TMDB · 836
ThrillerCrimeAction
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
An armored car driver tries to elude a gang of thieves while a flood ravages the countryside.
“A simple plan. An instant fortune. Just add water.”
Cast
Morgan Freeman
Jim
Christian Slater
Tom
Minnie Driver
Karen
Randy Quaid
Sheriff Mike Collins
Ed Asner
Uncle Charlie
Betty White
Doreen Sears
Richard Dysart
Henry Sears
Dann Florek
Mr. Mehlor
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Mikael Salomon
- Writers
- Graham Yost, Matt Busch
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America, United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Japan, Germany
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 28% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
28 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 6 countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Japan, Germany.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Mikael Salomon, shot by Peter Menzies Jr.. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Christopher Young. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Paul Hirsch shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater and Minnie Driver carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Mikael Salomon directs. Peter Menzies Jr. behind the camera. Christopher Young scores. Paul Hirsch cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America, United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Japan, Germany. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Mid-budget at $70M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
- 2Earned back only 28% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 328 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 4International production across 6 countries: United States of America, United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Japan, Germany.
- 5Directed by Mikael Salomon, shot by Peter Menzies Jr.. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Christopher Young. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Paul Hirsch shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater and Minnie Driver carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "A simple plan. An instant fortune. Just add water.".
- 10IMDB entry: tt0120696 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 11Classified under 13 themes, including "small town", "sheriff", "rain", "evacuation".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Peter Menzies Jr.
- Original score
- Christopher Young
- Editing
- Paul Hirsch
- Production design
- J. Michael Riva
- Costume design
- Kathleen Detoro
- Makeup / hair
- Colleen Callaghan
- VFX supervisor
- Ed Jones
- Sound
- Sandy Berman
- Stunt coordinator
- Jeff Habberstad
- Runtime
- 97 min · 1h 37m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $70,000,000
- Box office
- $19,900,000
- Return
- 28% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- IMDB
- Hard Rain (1998)
Also by
Mikael Salomon
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
UGC PH
FR
Marubeni
JP
Mutual Film Company
US
Paramount Pictures
US
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
US
- ST
Stargate Studios
TOHO-TOWA
JP
BBC
GB
Tele München
DE
Key crew
- ProducerGary Levinsohn
- EditorPaul Hirsch
- EditorAmnon David
- ProducerIan Bryce
- ProducerArt Levinson
- ProducerMark Gordon
- StuntsDanny Epper
- StuntsPaul E. Short
- CastingRandi Hiller
- Co-ProducerChristian Slater
- EditorGillian L. Hutshing
- CastingRisa Bramon Garcia
- Executive ProducerAllison Lyon Segan
- StuntsMickey Giacomazzi
- Property MasterCharles Stewart
- Art DirectionRichard F. Mays
- Construction CoordinatorTerry Scott
- Set Production AssistantAndrew Ward
- Supervising Art DirectorDavid F. Klassen
- Set DecorationRonald R. Reiss
- Lead PainterDavid Goldstein
- Costume DesignKathleen Detoro
- PainterJonathan Mikita
- Aerial CameraDylan Goss
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- small town
- sheriff
- rain
- evacuation
- armored car
- crook
- thief
- money
- gunfight
- church
- security guard
- hoodlum
- flood
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1998-01-16R
Also known as
International titles
- Velika kisaRS
- Katadioxi mesa stin kataigidaGR
- LeysanAZ
