Review of The Grapes of Wrath (1940) by Joey D — 14 Jul 2008

"The Grapes of Wrath" is probably the greatest depiction of the Great Depression that has ever been produced. While I haven't read the book as of writing this review, I believe the film is very powerful in its own right. The poverty and desperation of that period of time comes across with vivid clarity.

The story follows ex-con Tom Joad (Fonda), who is released on parole from a murder sentence, as he returns to his Oklahoma farm in the middle of the Dust Bowl. He finds that his family has deserted it, because the government is foreclosing on all properties in the area. After seeing a neighbor's house get bulldozed, he realizes the reality of what's going on. He is united with his family at last, and they load up everything they own on the family jalopy and head out to California where a work has been promised to them by a flier they received.

The Joads meet many people along the way who are in the same predicament as they are. At one stop, they hear from someone who is coming back from California that the flier they received is old news and that there are no jobs left. Nevertheless, they press onward. Their journey involves coming across many towns where corrupt businessmen and police officers rule by means of deceit and coercion. There is some good to be found along the way, but there seems to be a lot more bad.

They also face a lot of persecution for being "Okies." Since so many others like them have already traveled west, the natives of these western towns treat the Okies like pariahs. There is one instance where the Joads roll up on a human roadblock made up of shotgun-wielding locals who tell them to go back where they came from. They seek refuge in different camps made up of other poor families, but they constantly have to keep moving in order to avoid the corrupt governance of the town which houses the camp. When they at last find work, even this community is corrupt. Tom's actions at this particular location give the family reason to flee once again, and so goes their constant search for a normal, settled life like the one they used to know.

"The Grapes of Wrath" illustrates the complexity of the Great Depression and its effect on people. It brought out the worst in some people, but it also brought out the best in others. We get to see both sides of the coin in this film, but sadly, we see more of the worst. I was particularly moved by a scene in a diner where the waitress sells Pa Joad some candy for much cheaper than it normally sells for just to make the children happy. This was very touching to me, because earlier in that same scene the waitress was not willing to be so kind, but we see her transition and her true goodhearted nature comes out.

What can be said about the corruption of the town officials throughout the film? I think during that time, people were acting out of desperation. I think that maybe they were even good people at one point, but it was such a trying time that they did things that they wouldn't normally do. This is a very common theme throughout history. Periods of extreme trials and tribulations can cause people to act in ways that may be very foreign to how they truly are. Some of them may have been evil before, but I'd like to think that many of them became that way as a result of their tragic circumstances. The behaviors of the people in this story are very Darwinistic, and it shows how people will do just about anything to survive.

Fonda's performance is one of the best in movie history. We never doubt his plight for a second, and his emotion is painted all over him. John Fords direction and use of lighting is so good that it makes this seem as if we're watching actual archival footage of the Dust Bowl families moving west. Steinbeck's characters are as memorable as any I've ever seen, and they are adapted brilliantly to the screen. With a very powerful tale of human survival and resilience that is supported by some of the greatest performances of all-time, this film is one that everyone must see. It defines "classic" in every way.