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Plot: A poor Midwest family is forced off of their land. They travel to California, suffering the misfortunes of the homeless in the Great Depression.
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ONLINE NOWRecent Reviews
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MCT:September 5, 2008Some years before the eruption of the Italian neorealism, at the other side of the atlantic, John Ford, the poet of cinema, adapted John Steinbeck's celebrated novel, which dealt with the drought and poverty in america, and a family of Oklahoma farmers, struggling to remain together despite all the adversities they have to face on their way to california, their promise land.
The mother and the son, Jane Darwell and Henry Fonda, stand out with amazing performances, and both respectively have magnificent final speeches that embody the soul of this bitter and overwhelming descent into the misery and tenuous hope of the proletariat. -
MCT:August 17, 2008
while this is undoubtedly a somber, thought-provoking rarity of an American classic, its ultimate departure from Steinbeck's novel highlights the less-important themes. Ford chooses to focus more on humanity/human relationships and an increasing optimism rather than the more graphic and oppressive realism, both human and natural. thus the novel and the film almost end up telling two different stories. the film version is still excellent, however, with terrific acting and a deftly-written screenplay. a great piece of historical cinema.
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MCT:July 12, 2008fantastic movie to see that after all the things they have been thru, they still can think so possitive
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MCT:June 27, 2008
This movie tells the story of a Depression-era Oklahoman family who loses their farm and heads west to California looking for a job. This is one of relatively few Depression-era films that actually dealt with the Depression and it does a pretty good job at it. The plot is rather engaging although it is somewhat repetitive and predictable. Overall, it's still better than average.
The film stars Henry Fonda and he is great in this film. He's a plain-speaking idealist in the film and does a very good job. He was nominated for Best Actor but that award was wrongfully awarded to James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story which was given to him because he was not awarded the Academy Award for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington which was too controversial at the time. Unfortunately, that's the was the Academy works. The other actors in this film are pretty good as well especially Jane Darwell who plays Ma. She delivers a fairly memorable speech and the end and her portrayal won her Best Supporting Actress which seems well-deserved.
This film is based off a book and from what I understand the latter half of the film is not at all representative of the book. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but it's probably worth noting. The film does leave a rather bleak portrayal of the plight of the characters during the era and should be applauded for that.
Overall, this film is a pretty good one. The ending seemed a little too cheerful for me which is not the case in the book and that's probably the film's biggest flaw. It's still very good and definitely worth a watch.
81/100
B-
UP NEXT: The Best Years of Our Lives. -
MCT:June 14, 2008
"If there was a law, they was workin' with maybe we could take it, but it ain't the law. They're workin' away our spirits, tryin' to make us cringe and crawl, takin' away our decency."
Based on the novel by John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath is a classic film that takes an honest and uncompromising look at life during the period of the Great Depression. This is an important film as it captures the humanity of the period with poor families drifting from town to town in search of a job to hold down in order to feed their family.
But transferring Steinbeck's successful novel to the screen was no easy task. In the years preceding the film finally being made, the novel had been the subject of much debate and concern. As it takes a political siding, the government were infuriated as were farm interest and banks. When the proposed film adaptation got off the ground, there was a call to boycott all films reeled out of Fox studios. The film company took great measures to assure the public that the film wasn't taking any sides; however the result blatantly sides with the poor farmers who suffer through the greed of corporate business. In a sense, the determination that is displayed in the film also represents the determination to get the film made! After the film's eventual release, Steinbeck himself proclaimed his admiration of Ford's adaptation of his novel, saying that it had "a hard, truthful ring. No punches are pulled. In fact, it is a harsher thing than the book by far."
The Grapes of Wrath is a film concerned with the Joad family from Oklahoma. A combination of callous droughts and unsympathetic bankers result in sharecroppers being compulsorily forced to abandon their homes and their land that has been their property for generations.
The film opens as young Tom Joad (Fonda) returns home after a 4-year stint in the penitentiary. He expects to come home to find his loving family welcoming him home with open arms. Instead he discovers the impact of the harsh conditions that his family are suffering through. After Tom reunites with his family and is informed of the present situation, they are soon faced with no prospect of government aid and the serious likelihood of starvation. They answer the call of quickly-circulated handbills claiming the necessity for 800 pickers in California. Similar to thousands of other despondent individuals, they pack up the family and head in the direction of California. This journey is an emotional burden on the family who begin losing people to sickness or natural causes. But worse has yet to come. After the family reach the "Golden State" with the intention of settling down, a jarring reality dawns on them: too many migrant farmers with an adequate amount jobs being offered.
The film is then the story of the family overcoming the appalling conditions they are being succumbed to. This includes terrible treatment in camps and even in housing meant for the workers to live in. An interesting fact: the studio approached this adaptation after sending private detectives to investigate the conditions in camps to ensure Steinbeck hadn't exaggerated the situation. As it turns out, conditions were worse than described in the novel.
The Grapes of Wrath is truly uncompromising and brutal. This is not the usual Hollywood fare of happiness, but tragedy that besets the family from the outset. Do not expect a happy, satisfying conclusion as the film never even tries to hint that one is being built up to. It's not like the filmmakers could portray so many more problems the family encounter for the rest of their lives. On that note, some titles to wrap up the film's story could have heightened the film value. Even though the film may be depressing for some, the film is also uplifting as it takes an absorbing look and the spirit, compassion and determination of humankind.
Henry Fonda's performance is another aspect of the movie that highlights the human spirit in terrible situations. Fonda embodies the common man who is just trying to do what's best for his family. Towards the film's conclusion his performance should have you close to tears. Through the course of the story, Tom cultivates an interest outside himself: an inclination to stand up to the giants of oppression and fight for the rights of the little man. He becomes, in other words, a hero in every sense of the word.
My only complaint of The Grapes of Wrath is its failure to maintain my interest during its lengthy running time. At the end of the day it took so long to say so little. It outstays its welcome, and has too many burdens on the film's central plot. When the family moved to another location I was thinking "Oh no, here we go. They'll be leaving this place heartbroken in no time". It's an outstanding movie of course and an important one at that, but a shorter running time could have benefitted it.
Overall, The Grapes of Wrath is a very important piece of cinema history. With its genuinely absorbing look at life during the Great Depression and some great underlying themes, this is indeed a splendid achievement. The results convey a realistic atmosphere, and it delivers a strong political message while also being a warm human drama. The film is inspiring and touching; a story of family togetherness, family separation, and the requirement for unity among all people. -
MCT:May 14, 2008
Fantastic! One of John Fords best in a filmography of great films. I loved James Stewart in Philadelphia Story, but Henry Fonda should have won the Best Actor Oscar. Jane Darwell was one of the gretest charachter actors ever to live.
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MCT:May 7, 2008
I watched this for my freshman history class. It was good. I was having more fun watching Fonda... he was sure gorgeous! Too bad he's dead. He looks like my 8th grade history teacher.
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MCT:April 5, 2008
Okay, I'm going to try this again without hitting the F5 key. Apparently, that reloads the page. Whoops.
I finally get this movie. I'm not going to lie. I was one of the kids in high school who started this book, but never finished it. I find it funny that I'm only student teaching away from becoming an English teacher myself and it took this long to really appreciate this story. Perhaps some of the classics aren't finding their prime environment in the high school setting. It's a shame, because this tale is painful.
Before I go on, I'd like to state that I was truly moved at one point in this movie. It's a small scene on the grand scale of everything, but when Tom Joad asked his mother to dance, I actually was almost moved to tears. It was this beautiful moment among all this sadness. I get why it is called the Great Depression now.
People were terrible to one another. I'm both happy and a little ashamed to review this movie from a critical literacy perspective because I see the evils done in this movie with an understanding of why it happened. It doesn't excuse what happens in this film. The cops are the devil in this story and everyone hates the farmer. But it all comes from fear and fear makes people do crazy things that they normally wouldn't do.
It's been a long time since I "read" the novel, but John Ford does a really good job (with the exception of avoiding thirty pages about a turtle and the end) covering this story. This is his element and it only makes sense that they brought him on board to direct this film. Henry Fonda is perfect in the role (although I didn't see him in that part initially.) Fonda always plays these justice parts (now that I know his background, that's terrifying.) like in Twelve Angry Men. I see Henry Fonda's character persona as a man who sees through all the evil and blindness in the world and stands tall for what is right. When he escapes the peach ranch to find out why people are standing at the door, I was simultaneously thinking "no, don't do it! You'll ruin something halfway decent," but I know that I wouldn't stand for the movie not addressing that. It would have been out of character.
This really does deserve to be named one of the top movies of all time. I am a better man for having watched it. -
MCT:March 28, 2008
A great, albeit violent and almost painfully realistic film. Henry Fonda (and fairly, everyone else) shines with a special light of his own in it.
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MCT:March 17, 2008
The Grapes Of Wrath is a perfectly acted drama that is truly a classic that should be seen by everybody. The beginning can stretch for a while, but the rest of the movie should make up for it. It's highly entertaining with some humor, but most filled with drama. The cast is terrific! Definitely a must see.
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MCT:February 13, 2008
this film is an absolute cinema classic. the script was put together well and the diologue was strong, john fords directing was great, and the actors played their roles perfectly. this film about the unraveling of a mid west family trying to find prosperity in california is incredibly profound for being based on the lives of "simple" people. great movie.
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MCT:February 10, 2008
Excellent movie, dark, realistic and unique. In a way it is quite refreshing to see the other side of the gangster movies. Instead of the countryman arriving in the big city and becoming an outlaw, the outlaw goes back to the countryside. It is also intensely moving as all the evils of this world fall on the family. Save for the last lines of Henry Fonda that came straight from Steinsbeck's Stalinist brain, the film is also precious in its way of being American. The American dream may not become reality for everybody all the time, but one just got to keep trying. It is also very interesting to see it in the middle of the subprime crisis? nothing new under the sun.
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MCT:January 8, 2008
I can not believe that John's book was banned for so long. How sad that the film could not touch on the most poignant parts of the novel, but what a wonderful film!! I am still 'educating' my children with the classics - such as this wonderfully acted masterpiece with Fonda. I have tried to live on burnt bacon for a week and believe me it does not work!
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MCT:January 7, 2008It's John Steinbeck. Directed by John Ford. With John Carradine as Casy.
Also, I've always really liked the title. -
MCT:December 21, 2007A good of a movie as the book, but it doesn't end the same!!! In the book, Rose-of-Sharon is trying to have another baby with a stranger so her husband will come back since she had a miscarriage.
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MCT:December 12, 2007
I'm sure t was so fitting in it's time... The last time I saw it (probably 15 years ago) I found in a little too old... however, I will rate based on some notalgia in this case as I am certain I would enjoy it much more in my older age...
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MCT:November 28, 2007
Both heart-breaking and uplifting at the same time, this movie takes us to a bleak time in U.S. history : The Great Depression. The story tells of a persistent family out to fulfill their dream of living a good life, as they head westward to California, after a drought drives them out of Okalhoma. There are so many encounters of hardship in this movie that it makes you grateful for what you have. There is also a very real, and human element throughout the entire film that has you sympathize with the characters, and shows us that we all deserve to be treated with decency and respect.
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MCT:November 9, 2007
I wish people would give the book more credit. It's beautifuly written... anyway, they did the movie exceptionaly well. But i'd reccomend reading the book sometime; there's so much detail that they had to leave out of the film.
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MCT:October 3, 2007
THE GREATEST U.S. SOUND FILM EVER MADE. I credit the source material, however, for much of that. Won Oscars for John Ford and Linda Darwell. (Best Director and Actress.)
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MCT:September 29, 2007
A story of poverty, corruption, capitalism, anarchism and activism, but mostly the story of a family struggling to survive and stick together in depression-era United States.
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MCT:September 12, 2007
A heartbreaking melodrama of a film, as close to poetic as I have seen in A John Ford film so far. The narrative is clever, in that we join the Joad family as a newcomer, and then stay with them after Tom Joad leaves, which gives the lasting impression that we are part of the big soul which Fonda speaks of. Each and every scene is a memorable event, from the depiction of the dustbowl itself, via the horrible death of Casy, through to Ma's important speeches right at the end. One of the most important films ever made.
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MCT:August 27, 2007
One of the greatest film to come out of Hollywood. Director John Ford was one of the finest directors to ever live, and his ability to face national problems was astounding. Henry Fonda is astounding in one of the finest roles of his career. The movie is also one of the greatest history lessons to ever be put on a film. A must see for anyone who considers themselves a film buff.
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jimmorrison713posted 395 days ago
