"That's what makes it ours  living on it and dying on it"

Rating: 9/10 (15 October 2006)

For the adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel, the obvious choice for director was probably not John Ford, who was at that time best known for historical dramas. However, if the setting was not typical John Ford then its themes of family relationships, community spirit and social outcasts persevering in the face of all adversity certainly were. It was also a task which members of Ford's stock company of actors  Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine and John Qualen  were more than suited to.
Considering it is a contemporary drama shot in black-and-white, the images in Grapes of Wrath are startling, from the opening shot of a distant Henry Fonda approaching a crossroads to Jane Darwell's close-up monologue with which the films closes. The director of photography was Greg Toland, one of the best in the business at the time. Combined with Ford's effortless talent for shot composition the results are among the finest images in black-and-white cinema.
Ford knows exactly when to edit and when to move the camera, usually for maximum emotional impact. In a scene where Ma Joad is burning some personal possessions in preparation to leave the farm, he cuts to a dirty mirror reflection of her. It's hard to explain how but it works perfectly. He also makes far more use of close-ups than is his norm, building up a greater level of intimacy and bringing the emotions to the fore. This occasionally makes the lengthy patches of dialogue seem a little corny, but this is often a problem with motion pictures adapted from novels which few directors have managed to get round successfully.
John Carradine performs in what was probably the best role of his life as the preacher Casey. He's cast completely against type (he usually played sinister villains), but he makes the role his own, creating a character who appears simple on the surface, but is full of down-to-earth wisdom and humanity underneath. There's also a small yet memorable appearance from another Ford regular, John Qualen, who gives a spirited performance as the farmer Muley. In what are some of the best scenes in the film he vents his anger and frustration at being turfed off his land, eventually breaking down until he's nothing but a ghost of his former self.
Despite Ford winning Best Director at the Academy Awards for Grapes of Wrath (one of only two Oscars it received), it's probably more a classic borne out of group effort than the vision of one man. For a start, the plot is sourced from a great novel, itself brilliantly adapted by Nunally Johnson. That is combined with a great cast of actors and of course Greg Toland's cinematography. Ford definitely felt more at home when making a western. Having said that, he was never someone to do a sloppy job, and I'm by no means suggesting his Oscar wasn't deserved, but that's not what makes this a memorable picture.