Review of The Grapes of Wrath (1940) by Jonny P — 02 Feb 2012

"The Grapes of Wrath" is a sad look at the Great Depression as a desperate family leaves behind their home in search of work in California. This is a highly critically acclaimed movie and is famous for its strong acting performances by Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell, though it moves pretty slow and if I had to pick a grape movie, I would have rather watched "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" A few of the more memorable scenes are John Qualen's flashback about everybody being forced off of their land, the elderly grandfather (Charley Grapewin)'s refusal to leave his home, and just about any dialogue delivered by Ma Joad (Darwell).

I don't know that I would rank her performance as Oscar-worthy, but she is the first thing to come to my mind when I think about this film. Even though the film is lauded for its acting, my enjoyment stems from John Steinbeck's story.

The screenplay writers sacrificed a lot of tragedy by changing some of the ending events but the film still captures the helpless situation of Great Depression victims. The loss of humanity in this situation stuck out to me, as families are desperately searching for work to support their families and business men take advantage of their desperation.

It may not be my favorite, but I'm not surprised that "The Grapes of Wrath" appears on a lot critics must-see lists and find it to be a historically relevant film that should be experienced.