Good Movie

Rating: 9/10 (8 November 2019)

The Grapes of Wrath is a must watch film due to its parallels to The Dust Bowl and The Great Depression of the 1930's. The movie also portrays thoughtful cinematography and excellent choice of music which brings the whole movie together. A major theme in the movie is the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl was a series of major winds and drought during the 1930's that spread throughout the southern US which led to the death of all crops and livestock. The main characters of the movie, the Joad family loses their farm to the Dust Bowl and travel from Oklahoma to California in an attempt to rebuild their lives. They encounter many struggles along the way and have little money due to their crops being demolished from the unforgiving winds. In 1929 the worst economic downturn in US history hit, the Great Depression. It began when the stock market crashed and immediately impacted the rest of the US. During this time unemployment rose to 25% and many people lost their houses, cars, jobs, etc. This major economic downfall is portrayed so vividly in the movie when you see the characters struggle to find a job to make enough money to provide for one another. The American dream portrayed during the roaring 20's is now gone and reality has set in for the characters knowing they may not make enough money to live. As well as it's significant connections to history The Grapes of Wrath also should be recognized for its flawless cinematography and music score. Director John Ford uses storytelling through the cinematography of this movie with subtle hints shown in every shot. During the scene where the caterpillar passes over Muley's house the cinematographer slightly pans to show the shadows of the farmers going through the tractor tracks. The use of the shadows portrays an underlying theme of defeat coming from the farmers, only putting the shadows in the shot left a feeling of emptiness in the viewer, exactly what the farmers were thinking in the scene. The music in this movie compliments the theme almost perfectly, with songs such as "She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain", and "Going Down The Road Feeling Bad" Alfred Newman does an incredible job of placing the music within the movie. The entire soundtrack of the movie fits perfectly with the theme of hopelessness and traveling West which enhances the entire experience of the movie. This films tie ins with major historical events and incredible cinematography and soundtrack make it a must see for anyone.