Runtime: 129 minutes
Directed by: John Ford
Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Dorris Bowdon, Russell Simpson
From: 20th Century Fox
This played last night as part of TCM's month-long deal of showing John Ford films on Friday; as Ford won the Oscar for Best Director because of this movie-along with it being based on a classic novel even if I understand the back half has major changes from what appeared on page-it seemed like a wise choice. Indeed, it was.
For those who know nothing of the source material, during the Great Depression of the 1930's, Tom Joad and his family leave an Oklahoma devastated by droughts for the promised land of California. Unfortunately, this American Dream is more like a nightmare and they experience plenty of hardship & heartache. This includes death and the perils of capitalism. No surprise that in 2020, some people really resonate with the themes presented here with how chaotic everything has been in the United States. Ford and producer Daryl F. Zanuck being involved with a pro-union movie is surprising considering their political beliefs, but as this deals with such topics as the squalor at migrant camps (apparently, as bad as they were portrayed here, apparently it was downplayed to what actually happened at those locations) I am sure they were happy to do an important movie based on real life tragedies. Steinbeck himself was happy with how this turned out and thought Fonda was perfect as the lead.
As expected, this was a quality production both in front and behind the camera. It was directed so well and the cast performed quite well, especially Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell as Tom and Ma Joad, along with John Carradine's role. It is always nice seeing him deliver great performances when I unfortunately remember him best from all the schlock he appeared in late in life. The role made Fonda a star while I will presume she was the best she ever was. Regrettably, I realize from research that Ford was rather tyrannical on set and treated people like crap to get the “right” performance for various scenes. For some reason, he did not care for Dorris Bowdon, who had a supporting role. Yet she apparently decades later she said she was glad to work w/ him. Lord knows he's not the only great director to act questionable by the standards plenty have today.
In any case, this was not conventional Hollywood entertainment yet it delivered important messages and with such devices as religion (Tom Joad is rather similar to Job, after all), it became easy to root for this family. The movie opens with Tom hitchhiking back home from prison... due to a homicide conviction-but most will say it was justifiable. The character has inspired everyone from Woody Guthrie to Bruce Springsteen.
In addition, the movie was lit very well throughout-some scenes are rather dark, only illuminated by such devices as a candle-and it had a nice score from Alfred E. Neuman... er, I mean Alfred Newman. From description the movie may seem like an agonizing miserable journey; thank heavens that The Grapes of Wrath-at least in celluloid form-is actually quite inspiring.
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