Review of The Grapes of Wrath (1940) by Harry W — 25 May 2014

Based on one of the most famous novels of all time, I didn't know what to expect from The Grapes of Wrath but as a fan of Peter Fonda's acting I was more than happy to check it out.

In the 74 years since the release of The Grapes of Wrath, it still maintains the importance of its themes because of all the humanity. Although the story in The Grapes of Wrath dates back as far as 1939, it presents a society which has been forced to endure many of the same things under a society which is beginning to collapse in terms of democracy where people have been forced to look out for themselves and each other without the expectation that there will be someone there to do it for them. The theme is prevalent in the real world, and it reflects a lot of everyday life which has been placed into a different context, and it constantly has themes of optimism about the determination to keep going in the pursuit of happiness and the search for the American Dream. A story like the one in The Grapes of Wrath does not get old because it is constantly prevalent throughout society, and it reveals the way that we as people have to stand for who we are and what we do instead of waiting around for the world to change on its own. The optimism is consistent in The Grapes of Wrath, and it encourages viewers to go out and help to make the world a better place, so its themes are all important and easy to feel a connection to. The Grapes of Wrath proves simply to be a thoroughly compelling feature, even though it is a very slowly moving one which runs for a rather long runtime and the fact that it doesn't really have too much to do a lot of the time.

If you can tolerate waiting around for The Grapes of Wrath to move along, you should be able to find it to be a compelling film which has characters that are easy to sympathise for simply because they are human beings who are facing adversity but have banded together to succeed as a team. The Grapes of Wrath is great because it touches upon themes of both independence and looking out for each other and reveals how both are key to a person's survival in a situation like The Great Depression. Really, The Grapes of Wrath is a great examination of humanity above all.

Visually, The Grapes of Wrath is terrific because it is full of a lot of really strong visual aspects incorporated in by director John Ford who in his Academy Award winning role as director manages to prove once again that he has a keen eye for grand visuals. He constantly keeps the film rolling through visual excellence thanks to giving a lot of thoroughly convincing costumes and art direction to the film against the backdrop of its dry scenery and it is all captured with great cinematography which is filmed well enough to capture the large spectacle of the story. John Ford treats the story as he has treated many of his western films, and he gives it the same kind of visual quality which allows the film to develop a naturally rough edge. John Ford is a great choice as the director of The Grapes of Wrath, because as well as ensuring that the film is a visual spectacle he gives the story the right treatment so that none of its drama is degraded in the transfer from paper to the cinematic screen. Although the story is changed around a bit and it isn't as deep as its source material, for what it's worth The Grapes of Wrath does manage to capture the spirit of the novel and John Ford manages to take advantage of the chance to adapt it to the cinematic screen by bringing along a script that stays sufficiently true to its source material and visual elements that can only come from a director who has an appreciation for them.

Frankly, The Grapes of Wrath stays true to the material of the classic novel that it is based on and manages to prove itself as a firm and mostly entertaining adaptation. And on top of it all, John Ford ensures that a perfect cast is lined up so that The Grapes of Wrath reaches its true potential.

Henry Ford is the ideal actor for the role of Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. Easily capturing the persona of a character who is very likable and sympathetic, Henry Fonda manages to load his lead performance in The Grapes of Wrath with natural charisma. Interacting with the other cast members as if he genuinely cares for them and speaking his words with serious thought, passion and wisdom behind them, Henry Fonda gives an exceptional lead performance in The Grapes of Wrath. The heart in him isn't over the top, it is simply in the way that he says he words with true love for them. And it is one of his greatest performances to date which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Henry Ford is an absolutely perfect casting decision for the lead in The Grapes of Wrath, and he makes it thoroughly compelling all throughout.

Jane Darwell also gives a really compelling performance because of the fact that she reminds us how family looks out for each other, being the caring matriarch of the Joad Family on their journey. Russell Simon and John Carradine do their part as well.

So despite being a film which is slow and long, none of the themes in The Grapes of Wrath mean any less today than they did back in 1940 and it is so thoughtful that its message carries itself over until today, as well as the fact that it has John Ford's keen eye for strong imagery and Henry Fonda's immense acting skill as a source of benefit.