Little Pieces of One Big Soul

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2013)

The Grapes of Wrath is one of the two films I can thank for my love of classic movies. When I was a kid I had enjoyed a few older films. Mostly stuff like The Wizard of Oz and It's a Wonderful Life that I had been weaned on from an early age. But, like most kids, I was far more into the movies of my time. I viewed most older movies, especially black & white ones, with a degree of contempt. However, that changed when I was fourteen. That summer I checked out two older movies on VHS from my local library. I had heard a lot about one of these movies being called "the greatest movie of all time" and the other I knew was based on a book that fourteen year-old me just wasn't about to voluntarily read (although I did read it years later). So I took them both home and watched them back to back, glued to the screen the whole time. The two films were Citizen Kane and The Grapes of Wrath and I was in love with classic movies from that point on. Interestingly enough, both films had legendary cinematographer Gregg Toland working on them.
The Grapes of Wrath is a beautiful, haunting masterpiece from director John Ford, who deservedly won an Oscar. Nunnally Johnson's script brings John Steinbeck's novel to life but gives it a more optimistic finish. The cast is extraordinary, with Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell giving exemplary performances. It's a classic film in every sense of the word. To say I recommend it wouldn't be strong enough. This is just one of those films you HAVE to see.