JohnFord39;sMasterpiece

ThisisaalmostflawlessadaptiontooneofmyfavouriteSteinbeckclassicnovelTheGrapesofWrath.JohnFordcreatedanexcellentpieceofworkthatcapturesaveryspecialperiodofAmericanhistorywhensomanypeopleandfamilieslivedundertheshroudoftheGreatDepression.Lotsoffarmersinthecountysufferedfromtheeffectsoftheeconomicdislocationandleftthefarmsfortheindustrialjobopportunitiesinbigcities.ThesamegoescharactersoftheJoadfamilyinthisflim.Despitethedeepaffectionoftheirownlandwhichtheyhadlivedonforseveralgenerations,theyhadtorunoffoftheirlandinOklahomaduetothenever-endingfrustratingdroughtandpoverty.Perhapsitsnoteasytoimagineatimewhenbasicneedsweresuchastruggletoobtainfromtodaysperspective,whickmadeitsimplynotimpossibletofeeldeepsympathyforeveryhardshiptheJoadfamiliesencountered.Duringthemigration,theyrefusetoloseeverysmallopportunitytomakealiving.EvenafterallofthesufferingtheJoadfamilygoesthrough,theclinginghandofhopestillfirmlyhangson.Weareremindedoftheirstrengthandworking-classprinciplesinthesceneswhereMaJoadsaystoherhusband,wholoseshope,thatwearethepeople,andwhenTomJoadsaysthatheseeshimselfasapartofonecollectivesoulofhumanityandthathefeelsconnectedtoeveryonewhogetsabumrapbysociety.Themoviewouldntbethesamewithouttheextraordinaryperformancesofthecast.HenryFondacomesacrossperfectlyasTomJoadandthisisdefinitelyoneofhisfinestworkofactingwhichputhimintoalegendinhislatercareer.JanedarwellsroleasMaJoadmadeherwintheBestSupportingActressof1940Oscar.Shecapturesthetough-as-nailsdignitythatthecharacterhasinthenovel.HerremarkableandheartbreakingperformancemovedmetotearswhenIwatchedthisfilmforthefirsttime.BesidesHenryandJane,theothersupportingcastalsodidanexceptionaljob.Theysucceedinmakingusbelievethesearerealpeople,notjustincompletefiguresthatrevolvearoundthemaincharacters.TheGrapesofWrathwasundoubtedlyoneofJohnFordsfinestpicturesandthismovieconsolidatedFordasamasterofhiscraft.HisstarkandshockinglyrealisticportrayalofapoorfamilyintheGreatDepressionanddustbowlremainsoneofthemostmovingfilmsinhistory.GreggTolandsspectacularcinematographyshouldalsotakecreditforthisbeautifulvisualcomposition.Althoughthereweresomescenesthatitwaseasytotellthattherewasapaintedbackdrop,therearesomanyframesthatcouldstandasworksofphotographicart,whichmakethisfilmshedssuchabeliefwithbeautyandcharm