A true American Classic in many ways; vintage Fonda & Ford

Rating: Null/10 (31 March 2003)

THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940) **** Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowden, John Qualen. John Steinbeck's classic American novel about the Great Depression and Dust Bowl dilemmas of the migrant farmer/"Okie" is masterfully adapted by director John Ford (Best Director) who follows the Joad family trek from their ousted Oklahoma to the Promised Land of California. Fonda became a bonafide movie star as stoic yet humane Tom Joad and won an Oscar nomination as the embittered ex-con foraging for his people like Moses. Top notch cast especially Carradine as the Christ-like preacher Casey and Best Supporting Actress Darwell as the determined matriarch.