The story centers on the redemption of its lead female character. Tom Ransome is an artist who leads a rather dissolute if socially active life in the fictional town of Ranchipur, India. His routine is shattered with the arrival of his former lover, Lady Edwina Esketh, who has since married the elderly Lord Esketh. Lady Edwina first sets out to seduce, then gradually falls in love with, Major Rama Safti who represents the "new India." Ranchipur is devastated by an earthquake, which causes a flood, which causes a cholera epidemic. Lord Esketh dies and Lady Esketh renounces her hedonistic life in favor of helping the sick alongside Major Safti. She accidentally drinks from a glass that has just been used by a patient, becomes infected and dies, making it possible for Safti to become the ruler of a kingdom that he will presumably reform. In the course of the story, a missionary's daughter, Fern Simon, and Ransome also fall in love.
The casting apparently was a lengthy process. Loy and Brown were loaned to 20th Century Fox from MGM. Brent was also on loan from his home studio of Warner Bros. The only cast member who was originally chosen for the role he or she played was Ouspenskaya, who was memorable as the Maharani. She later claimed that she learned all she needed to know about impersonating Indian royalty from her acquaintance with the Russian Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia.
Production
The budget was $2.5 million. Bruce is cast against what had become his established type. In later years, Loy recalled that her belief in director Clarence Brown made her willing to try his suggestion for her death scene: " ‘...people don't die with their eyes closed...Why don't you try dying with your eyes open? You've just got to hold your breath.' I held my breath, staring at some fixed object until I began to see stars and everything started to blur and run together. I was turning a little blue when he finally called 'Cut!' When you trust a director, you'll do anything for him." Loy's stylish bad girl role harks back to the vamps, villains and dramatic leads that she was known for until her success in The Thin Man established her comedic talent. After a series of romantic comedies, Loy wanted a good dramatic role, and this was it. According to Loy, Louis Bromfield told her, "I think you're giving the best performance of your career." After the Second World War and her appearance in The Best Years of Our Lives, her image changed yet again, to that of the ideal mother. The special effects that produced the earthquakes and floods were good enough to win the first Oscar issued in that category. However, Variety praised the human drama.: "The simple heroics following the quake are more effective than the earth-rending sequences themselves." TCM.com reports some of cinematographer Arthur Miller's recollections about The Rains Came, including his "obsession" with the rain. Original prints of the film were tinted sepia.
The Rains Came was remade in 1955 as The Rains of Ranchipur, with Richard Burton, Lana Turner and Fred MacMurray in the Power, Loy and Brent roles. The 1939 film uses the original novel's ending; the 1955 film provides different fates for Lord and Lady Esketh.
