Why Does It Always Rain at Funerals in Hollywood Movies?

Here is yet another Hollywood stereotype that never seems to go away. Have you noticed funeral scenes in movies? Not all of them, but most. And somehow, it is always raining.

The timing is remarkable. The rain starts at precisely the right moment. Not before, not after. Just enough to set the mood. Dark clouds roll in. Umbrellas appear. Everyone is dressed in black. The widow or widower stands perfectly composed, usually with a single tear that somehow survives the downpour. It is cinematic perfection.

What I find impressive is the accuracy. How do they manage this level of weather prediction? If Hollywood directors ever tire of filmmaking, they could easily switch careers and become professional weather forecasters. The confidence alone would be enough.

I often wonder whether the funeral is planned around the rain or the rain is added later because it has to be there. When was the last time you heard of relatives deliberately scheduling a funeral because rain was expected. No one ever says, “Let us wait until Thursday. The forecast looks appropriately gloomy.”

Yet in movies, sunshine at a funeral seems almost unacceptable. A bright, clear day would apparently undermine the seriousness of the moment. Grief, according to Hollywood rules, must be accompanied by grey skies and wet pavement.

Of course, rain works. It adds atmosphere. It makes everything feel heavier, quieter, and more dramatic. But once you notice the pattern, it becomes impossible to ignore. Every funeral starts to feel less like a moment of loss and more like a weather event.

I still watch these scenes, of course. But now, whenever a funeral appears on screen, I quietly wait for the rain to begin. And more often than not, it does. Right on cue.