The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Graham J

  
  An amazing film. Just as relevant today.

• Melvin W

  
  Casy: I wouldn't pray just for a old man that's dead, 'cause he's all right. If I was to pray, I'd pray for folks that's alive and don't know which way to turn.  The Grapes of Wrath is very much the classic I was expecting. It is probably the best… More
  Casy: I wouldn't pray just for a old man that's dead, 'cause he's all right. If I was to pray, I'd pray for folks that's alive and don't know which way to turn.  The Grapes of Wrath is very much the classic I was expecting. It is probably the best example of the human struggle to better one's life. The story is one of the most known, as most read it before their out of high school. It's setting is the depression era dust bowl. There's a lot of bad going on and not a whole lot of good. Everyone struggles to find work so that they can feed their families. But work isn't easy to come by. Watching The Grapes of Wrath now, during this economic climate is rather sobering. The story follows one family, the Joad family. Tom has just been released from prison and makes it home just in time; right before his family was to set off from their land. They have lived in Oklahoma all their life, but the land is turning a profit or any crops and the government is taking it away from them. So the Joad's decide to do what everyone else is doing, and head for California in hope of finding the land they were promised. Handbills don't always tell the exact truth though. California is just as much a struggle as Oklahoma. This is only the second John Ford film I have seen, but I'm already seeing why he is so highly regarded. He captures the hardship of the depression like no film I've seen. He does it extremely well, but also never overplays it. He let's the Joad family speak for themselves. Their hungry, their tired, and their poor.  Something else Ford does really well is showing the different ends of the spectrum, when it comes to people helping people. Their are always people that will help and their are always people that will exploit. In one scene the Joad's go into a diner and the workers there give them food at a discounted cost because they see how hard they got it. Then when they actually get work, all the employers are just exploiting how poor the workers are.  Grapes of Wrath is often regarded as one of the best American films ever. It's a movie that everyone knows about and it's influence is just about everywhere. It's one of those movies that everyone almost has to see before they die; a true classic in every sense of the word.

• KJ P

  
  The Grapes Of Wrath is one of the greatest films that I have ever seen. During the great depression, a suffering family is forced to move out of their homes as they are torn down one-by-one. Lead by a moving performance by Henry Fonda who is out of prison on early parole, the… More
  The Grapes Of Wrath is one of the greatest films that I have ever seen. During the great depression, a suffering family is forced to move out of their homes as they are torn down one-by-one. Lead by a moving performance by Henry Fonda who is out of prison on early parole, the "Joads" are on route to California, where they believe they can find work and restart their lives. Along the way, they mourn loses of loved ones and cherish whatever they have to survive. They make stops in campgrounds and pitch tents so that they may have a place to keep warm enough through the night. As the worst possible occurences come their way, Tom (Fonda) finds himself killing a man, which then leads to him having to make decisions of where to move next. This is one of the most moving pictures of all time. The cinematography makes you feel that you are in every situation and the dialogue will make you cringe. It is wonderfully written and the direction by John Ford is heart-stopping. There is never a dull moment in this film. I would be underrating this film by calling it a masterful breakthrough in cinema, because the only word to describe this work of art, is "Spine-tinglingly, awe-inspiringly, magnificent!"

• Dan S

  
  A bonafide classic which serves as a forceful reminder to the importance of family, employment, and a civilization fighting together to survive amongst Hellish circumstances. Ford's sure-handed camera-work combined with masterful acting by Henry Fonda as the legendary character… More
  A bonafide classic which serves as a forceful reminder to the importance of family, employment, and a civilization fighting together to survive amongst Hellish circumstances. Ford's sure-handed camera-work combined with masterful acting by Henry Fonda as the legendary character Tom Joad, alongside Jane Darwell's Ma Joad who embodies the definition of a matriarch, makes this film a masterstroke which resonates well in any period of economic downturn or uncertainty. It takes its time, for sure, but the gripping performances and absorbing material of the story make this a film not to be missed, and one that ends on an appropriate note

• Jennifer X

  
  Sometimes I feel like it goes too much for the dirty regionalism/Dust Bowl desperation and too little of actual character development of the Joad family.

• Mark H

  
  Heartbreakingly beautiful adaptation of John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of a poor family of sharecroppers from Oklahoma who lose their land and must travel West in search of a better life. Set during the Great Depression, the story opens when Tom Joad returns to his… More
  Heartbreakingly beautiful adaptation of John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of a poor family of sharecroppers from Oklahoma who lose their land and must travel West in search of a better life. Set during the Great Depression, the story opens when Tom Joad returns to his family's farm only to find it deserted. He soon learns farmers all over the area have been forced from their land by the deed holders. In a flashback we see a heartbreaking scene where a local boy is hired to drive a Caterpillar tractor right through a farmer's home knocking it down like a house of cards. It's a frustrating image and one that only hints at the hardships they're about to experience. The Grapes of Wrath is arguably the most epic film to tackle the plight of the Midwest farmer during the Dust Bowl. The script masterfully takes a complicated subject and centers the focus on the Joad family, a group we come to love and identify with. They radiate goodness and dignity. Somber and bleak, their helplessness is presented in devastating detail. When the family arrives at the first transient migrant campground for workers, the conditions they find are less than desirable: the camp is overcrowded with other starving and jobless travelers. The desperation is palpable. The brilliant cinematography recalls real depression era images of photographers like Dorothea Lange and Arthur Rothstein. The movie's release in 1940 was a particularly impressive document considering the Great Depression had only ended a year earlier with the advent of WWII. Everyone in the production is memorable. Director John Ford won the Oscar for directing. So too actress, Jane Darwell as Ma Joad, the tenacious matriarch. And let's not forget how fascinating it is to see John Carradine, patriarch of the real life acting dynasty, in his first important role as an ex-preacher who has lost his faith. But what grounds the story is Henry Fonda's performance as Tom Joad. Just released from prison his heartfelt performance becomes an almost mythic hero of social justice. The Grapes of Wrath is one of those films that surpasses its literary source and actually improves on the novel's pessimistic tone. There is much despair, but there is also an uplifting feeling of hope. Tom Joad's poetic final speech is legendary.

• Michael G

  
  The Grapes of Wrath is definitely a fantastic movie but also a daunting and rough watch. Henry Fonda yet again makes me want to kick my own ass for not becoming a fan of his sooner and John Ford's direction is magnificent. But the real standout for me was Gregg Toland's… More
  The Grapes of Wrath is definitely a fantastic movie but also a daunting and rough watch. Henry Fonda yet again makes me want to kick my own ass for not becoming a fan of his sooner and John Ford's direction is magnificent. But the real standout for me was Gregg Toland's cinematography. From the opening shot to the final image this film is a visual work of art. Visual feast aside, I don't know if I can take a viewing of this more than once every 5 years (the scene with the kids begging for food alone was murder) but its absolutely worth your time if you haven't seen it.

• Jennifer D

  
  I surprisingly liked it. Didn't think I would.

• Tim S

  
  My fucking que has been on fire as of late with some classic films. John Ford's masterpiece is just as effective today (especially today) as it ever was. Henry Fonda is amazing as Tom Joad (now I know what that Springsteen song was about) and Jane Darwell as Ma Joad is the… More
  My fucking que has been on fire as of late with some classic films. John Ford's masterpiece is just as effective today (especially today) as it ever was. Henry Fonda is amazing as Tom Joad (now I know what that Springsteen song was about) and Jane Darwell as Ma Joad is the trademark mother and she plays it perfectly. I am a big fan of John Stienbeck and thought the movie portrayed everything that was great about the book (of course some things are going to be lost, but you remember the size of that book). Again, I also think the cinematography was one of the main reasons I enjoyed this film so much. It really pulled me into the story that much more. Sorry that I have not experienced this movie sooner.

• Derek A

  
  <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i> is a well-crafted 1940's classic that followed a poor Mid-Western families quest to California after being evicted off their property during the troubling Great Depression era. A heart-wrenching, and brutally honest tale, this film will… More
  <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i> is a well-crafted 1940's classic that followed a poor Mid-Western families quest to California after being evicted off their property during the troubling Great Depression era. A heart-wrenching, and brutally honest tale, this film will leave you baffled about how the poor were treated during this period of time. This film was superbly acted for it's age, and the cinematography was classic. The use of lighting in this film was ground-breaking. It's a wonderful cinematic achievement. However, my only complaint was that it was quite the snoozefest! You are guaranteed to check your watch more than once.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Some 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… More
  Some 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.

• Jeremy S

  
  "Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there."

• danny d

  
  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… More
  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.

• Curtis L

  
  A bit long, I'm sure the book is better. Still, no complains really. No praise either.

• Dillon L

  
  A socially important and influential drama.

• Byron B

  
  The "I'll be there" monologue near the end is awesome. Very inspiring after seeing the whole of the movie.

• Mike T

  
  A gripping, beautifully directed classic driven by consistently top-notch performances and a gripping screenplay. Fonda is impeccable.

• Sunil J

  
  Didn't like the book and the movie is just as depressing but very well acted.

• Simeon D

  
  The Grapes of Wrath, based on the Pultzer Prize winning novel by John Steinbeck, boasts a powerful performance from Henry Fonda and stylish directing from John Ford, but is very flawed. The films starts with Tom Joad (Fonda), who is released from jail after several years, and arrives… More
  The Grapes of Wrath, based on the Pultzer Prize winning novel by John Steinbeck, boasts a powerful performance from Henry Fonda and stylish directing from John Ford, but is very flawed. The films starts with Tom Joad (Fonda), who is released from jail after several years, and arrives at his family's farm to find nobody there. Along with an ex preacher named Jim Casey, Joad finds his family at is uncle's house, preparing to go to California in search of jobs, because the banks had evicted all of the farmers in the Oklahoma from their houses. And so begins one of the greatest American tales of ambition, rebellion, and tragedy. The story is expertly told by John Ford through interesting camera angles and riveting performances, but the script was childlike; because it was incredibly simple, talked down to the audience, and lacked the adequate amount of emotional depth that was needed to carry along the story. Although the theme is timeless, a few scenes are very contemporary and don't sit as well with the rest of the film as they might have in the 1940s. Within these scenes, there are many minor characters that give terrible performances and say useless lines. Despite this, Henry Fonda defines himself flawlessly as the common man: Tom Joad, one of the most iconic figures in film today. Jane Darwell and John Carradine also give tremendous performances. Though it is undoubtedly a true American classic, The Grapes of Wrath falls short of its potential and is scarred by poor writing. 88/100

• Leo L

  
  Great film. An amazing J. Steinbeck book.

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