The Grapes of Wrath

[ken123]

Are there any comments on this classic John Ford Directed Film ?

[MissGoddess]

It's a very powerful film to watch---so much so that I can't say it's easy to watch, however it is filled with a lot of love, that's clear. The scene when Henry Fonda is about to leave his family, probably forever, and he says farewell to Jane Darwell at the place where he danced with her is one of the most beautiful scenes between a mother and son I've ever witnessed.

Visually, what I remark about it is that it's a film composed of all these striking "faces": Darwell's, John Carradine's, Russell Simpson's, and of course, Fonda's.

[jdb1]

I've said it at the Other Place, and I'll say it again.

I'm no curmudgeon - I have the Aquarian's love for humanity and need to see all Mankind safe, secure and happy. But I simply cannot warm to this movie, and it gets no easier for me on subsequent viewings.

I can't figure out exactly what it is about The Grapes of Wrath. I liked the book, I like all the actors in it, I like John Ford; but in this combination I just can't take it, and can never get past the first 20 minutes or so at one sitting. I find my own reaction very odd.

[MissGoddess]

I wouldn't say it's odd, or maybe I am odd, too because I didn't warm to it initially---I think I just found it too stark and depressing at first.

[mongoII]

"The Grapes of Wrath" is not exactly an edge of your seat film, but it is a shockingly realistic portrayal of the suffering that so many people and families experienced during the Great Depression.
The performances are flawless, and the experience is not only powerful and moving but also educational. It's no secret that most people do not watch movies to learn, but there comes a point, at least once in a great while, when a person should watch a film that requires a little mental thought processing, and in such cases, "The Grapes of Wrath" is an excellent choice.

One scene that breaks my heart is when Pa Joad goes into a diner and offers to buy ten cents worth of bread for Grandma (since she has no teeth and it's easier for her to chew). To make matters worse the waitress gives him a hard time.

This John Ford movie is always in the top 5 of my all time favorites.

That's a great picture, Miss G.

[MissGoddess]

Very true and eloquently said, Mongo. It's not an "easy" film to watch emotionally, but the truths hit home.

[jdb1]

I appreciate your comments on the emotional impact of this movie, but I don't think the intensity is what keeps me away. After all, I have read the book - I know what it's about and what's going to happen.

I grew up hearing Depression stories from my family -- both my parents lived through it, and both came from dirt-poor families. I have heard countless first-hand accounts of the despair, the deprivations and the humiliations. But my initial comment in my first post here still stands -- this particular movie just doesn't speak to me, and I can't figure out why. I've seen movies about, for example, the desperately poor of the Victorian Era, and I have been far more touched by their plight that I am by the cinematic Joads. I don't think I'll ever figure out what's missing for me in "The Grapes of Wrath."

[precoder]

Perhaps it's because none of us really want to see people suffer like that. No one in the film ever succeeds. They exist merely fighting for survival. Piling all the contents they possess into that rickety old truck which somehow made it to California only to discover thousands of other people in desparation, sort of knocks the wind out of you. I particularly felt sorry for the hungry children. Government sponsored programs like 'no child left behind' and 'subsidized healthcare for children' would sound like icing with no cake to those struggling during the depression. And no one likes to see people get kicked when their down and treated so meanly by others. Goodness, there isn't much to like about the human condition in the film ...

The acting is very good, as is the films direction, but I wouldn't say I found it easy to watch either. It rather hurts to see ...