Marking off another film from the AFI Top 100 list, the Grapes of Wrath is a black-and-white film illustrating an Oklahoma family who meets misfortune and hardship during the Great Depression.
Based on the novel by John Steinbeck and directed by John Ford, the film begins with the Joad family's land being taken over. They choose to flee to California in hopes for work and a brighter future than dusty Oklahoma. The protagonist Tom Joad and his mother, Ma Joad, strive to keep the family of 11 from falling apart on the harsh trek to California. Having many obstacles along the way from death in the family to running low on provisions, the family strives to survive in order to settle down in Pa Joad's "land of milk and honey."
I chose to watch this film this afternoon because I remember enjoying Steinbeck's book in high school. My favorite moments of the film are comprised in the complexity of the conversations between characters. Despite the common "Okie" stereotype, this film greatly depicts the humanness of those who suffered during the Great Depression in the Midwest. Ma Joad is a wise woman who keeps the family from falling apart with her compassion and positivity.
I enjoyed the emphasis on the value of losing their own farmland in Oklahoma. Two characters grasps the dirt in their hands, and display their bitterness towards losing generations of hard work. However, I must admit there are some slow developments in the middle of the plot.
The film ends with only the hopeful words of Ma Joad for her family, and the viewer is left to speculate what happens to the Joad family. It is beautiful because that is a true depiction of all the families had in that time period: hope for another day together. This movie did a fabulous job portraying the hard time of Mid-westerners during the Great Depression, and I would recommend it to all generations who did not experience this difficult time themselves.
Poster from: www.classicmoviestills.com
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