April 29th: THE GRAPES OF WRATH (John Ford, 1940)
NOTE: This film will be projected in the high-definition Blu-ray format.
Driven off their land by the Dust Bowl drought and poor economy, an Oklahoma family heads to California in search of work, only to come up against corruption and oppression.
John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was written in a flurry of activity and anger from the author's reaction to the harsh treatment of migrant workers, as well as the overall greed that led to The Great Depression. While acclaimed in many corners and the best-selling book of the year, it also had bitter enemies (namely in big farming towns) who banned it and burned copies.
While most of the movie studios were reluctant to adapt what many saw as socialist propaganda, 20th Century Fox head Darryl F. Zanuck had no such qualms (despite his own conservative politics), purchasing the rights to the book and moving it swiftly into production. Chosen by Zanuck to direct was John Ford, known primarily for his westerns but who had tackled many genres in his 20+ years of filmmaking.
The cast is headed by Henry Fonda, who signed a 7-year contract with Fox just for the privilege of playing the role of Tom Joad. He is joined by Jane Darwell, veteran John Carradine, Russell Simpson, and Ford staple Ward Bond. The memorable cinematography is by Gregg Toland, whose stark realism drew comparisons to the iconic Depression-era photos of Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange.
The film was shot on location in Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. Zanuck, a hands-on producer with legitimate experience behind the camera, not only polished Nunally Johnson's screenplay, but also worked closely with Ford on the film's editing. When a new ending was needed while Ford was on vacation, Zanuck directed it himself with Ford's blessing.
The Grapes Of Wrath was released to near-universal acclaim and was a big financial success. It received six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor, and won Oscars for Ford's direction and Darwell's performance. It received Best Film honors from the New York Film Critics and the National Board of Review.
Running time is approx. 2 hrs, 15 min.
John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was written in a flurry of activity and anger from the author's reaction to the harsh treatment of migrant workers, as well as the overall greed that led to The Great Depression. While acclaimed in many corners and the best-selling book of the year, it also had bitter enemies (namely in big farming towns) who banned it and burned copies.
While most of the movie studios were reluctant to adapt what many saw as socialist propaganda, 20th Century Fox head Darryl F. Zanuck had no such qualms (despite his own conservative politics), purchasing the rights to the book and moving it swiftly into production. Chosen by Zanuck to direct was John Ford, known primarily for his westerns but who had tackled many genres in his 20+ years of filmmaking.
The cast is headed by Henry Fonda, who signed a 7-year contract with Fox just for the privilege of playing the role of Tom Joad. He is joined by Jane Darwell, veteran John Carradine, Russell Simpson, and Ford staple Ward Bond. The memorable cinematography is by Gregg Toland, whose stark realism drew comparisons to the iconic Depression-era photos of Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange.
The film was shot on location in Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. Zanuck, a hands-on producer with legitimate experience behind the camera, not only polished Nunally Johnson's screenplay, but also worked closely with Ford on the film's editing. When a new ending was needed while Ford was on vacation, Zanuck directed it himself with Ford's blessing.
The Grapes Of Wrath was released to near-universal acclaim and was a big financial success. It received six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor, and won Oscars for Ford's direction and Darwell's performance. It received Best Film honors from the New York Film Critics and the National Board of Review.
Running time is approx. 2 hrs, 15 min.
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