Category: Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath was made in 1940 and can be considered to be director John Ford’s greatest black and white movie as it sometimes even surpasses the greatness of its literary source, a 1939 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by John Steinbeck, having the same name (Chapman, p.165). The movie retells the tale of the Oklahoma family of the Joads during the 1930s that have lost their farm because of the Great Depression. They are now migrant workers who have landed up in California. They have to face terrible trials throughout their journey and finally become slave laborers. But the family refuses to succumb to circumstances and thus the entire movie tells us about the opportunities they find in California while searching for work.

Considered to be among the director’s greatest epic dramas, the movie is heartfelt and moving although at some points there is random rambling and structure along with emotional and excessively political narratives. The main character of the movie is Henry Fonda who plays Tom Joad and he totally overpowers the entire movie. He plays a prison parolee who returns home only to find out that his family has been thrown out of their farm and thus they have to move to California, which too does not turn out too well since Tom gets into numerous fights. The movie is full of neo-communist and democratic schmaltz but at the same time gives Henry Fonda a voice to reach the audience through art (Chapman, p. 166)

The Grapes of Wrath perfectly documents the social tragedy of American life in those times recounting the Joad family’s poignant yet painful odyssey. Henry Fonda in his portrayal of Tom Joad had perfectly represented the difficulty faced by the “Okies” of those times. The Grapes of Wrath is extremely emotionally gripping and John Ford has presented his idea of the actual novel in such a manner that the audiences require a moment before they can gather themselves and move from one intimidating scene to the next one. The movie has been shot mainly in and around the migrant camps of Pomona, California.

However, John Ford has also filmed a second unit capturing a few of the background shots in Oklahoma framing his shots in such a way that the desolate exteriors, huge, barren landscapes, and clouded skies become ubiquitous giving the audience a feeling which the harsh and displaced lives of the Okies brought them.

Later, the film takes an optimistic turn with the introduction of Grant Mitchell in the life of the Joads as the Caretaker when the family locates a government camp. Grant Mitchell represents security and guardianship for the family and has been portrayed as a compassionate person with a slight similarity with Franklin D. Roosevelt. John Ford has cleverly shot the Joads family portraying them as more than just mere victims since he has turned the depressing tale of these Okies into one which has promise and hope. The greatness of the movie lies in its message which tells the audience that even when the Joads family was physically moved from their farm, they were not morally or emotionally defeated, and thus it was their belief which slowly brought back their lost faith turning their story into an example for all of America.

Basically, the movie summarizes the consequences brought about by the Great Depression on the rural population of America and has done so better than any other movie in its time. The Grapes of Wrath has been beautifully shot in a documentary, journalistic manner having a number of chiaroscuro and low-key lighting effects provided by either low or candle lights. The movie also has a monochromatic, i.e. black and white, texture that has been extraordinarily captured by its cinematographer Gregg Toland. Due to this the picture possesses an astute realism that was actually present in the rural American areas during the 1930s. Alfred Newman’s musical score further provides the movie with an extra flavor.

Right from the movie’s opening shot where Tom Joad returns back to his ruined homeland, we realize that the movie describes those people whose hopes and ambitions have withered away just like their crops. But still, John Ford has managed to make a movie that is not completely pessimistic even though it has a disheartening setup and storyline. The script of the movie and the performers gave the director strong characters who were portrayed so realistically that Ford was even able to persuade the cynical viewers of the movie to accept and praise his artistic vision.

The Grapes of Wrath actually became one that transcended fact from fiction through John Ford’s images. Ford showed a lot of courage and hard work to make The Grapes of Wrath and because of this even in 1989 when the movie became among the very first ones to be made a part of the highly recognized National Film Registry it had not lost any of its glamour, power or sincerity as a historical statement, a piece of cinematic artwork and a social document.

Works Cited

Chapman, Michael. 100 Favorite Hollywood Movies. New York: Pocket, 1993.

The history of mankind is impossible to forget. Archives, historical notes, and other writings save the reminding about the periods how people live, about the political and economical situations in the world. The appearance of cinematography allowed people not only to read about the past times but also to see what was happening. Documental and entertaining films give people an understanding of people’s lives, which keeps our memory and imagination work. The film “The Grapes of Wrath” is one of the examples when the historical events and politico-economical conditions are taken as the basis.

The film “The Grapes of Wrath” was directed by John Ford. The film was based on John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”, but to the word, the ends of the film and of the book are different. The film tells about the times of the Great Depression in America in the 1930s. Being turned out by the crisis, ruined farmers from Oklahoma are searching for a better life in California. But their hopes were vain and they do not get happiness and calmness in the new place. The Great Depression follows them, ruining more and more people’s lives on its way, and reaches these farmers again.

The film is concentrated on Tom Joad, who was released from prison and went back home with the hope to start a new and happy life. But it did not appear to happen. Coming home he sees all that disaster and poverty, where his family appeared. Watching the picture of his return, it is greatly understood the condition of the whole society. Even if the local preacher had lost his faith, there is nothing to tell about other people whose level of belief was on the lower level. Believing in a better life in other regions, people go to California. The journey was difficult and as they did not receive the satisfaction and desirable result from it also appears to be useless.

The main idea is to fight: for the rights, for the freedom, for the ability to live. Watching on Tom Joad, it is impossible to avoid being captured by his power and desire to survive. He had to suffer a lot, the difficulties on the road, which included Grandpa’s death and the conflicts in the camps. But he managed to sustain, moreover, his soul and mind were full of resolute decisions to survive. All in him fulfilled the souls of others with the courage and resolute which he had in him.

The most expressive moment, as for me is the depiction of transient migrant campgrounds. The whole situation was very emotional. The first sign of disappointment appeared when Tom Joad and his family met a man who was coming from California. They could not believe his stories about the same bad situation in the West, the there is also no work there, that people are starving, without places to live in and without means of subsistence. It is possible to understand Tom Joad as he and his family lived only by those hopes did not want to ruin them so soon.

Having come to the camp the last hopes disappeared. There were no people who could have a prosperous look. Frankly speaking, it is the worst thing when hopes are ruined. People believe in something, they live only by this hole and such disillusionment is a great blow, which some people are unable to sustain. Considering such a situation two types of people can be identified, those who have power and those who do not. Tom Joad had that power, he managed to sustain that blow and be ready to fight further to achieve what he wanted.

The film finishes with optimistic notes. Tom Joad is ready to fight; his aim now was to find a new world, to fight for social reform and he was sure of the succeeding outcome of that affair. The end of the film is rather optimistic in spite of the surrounding atmosphere of disaster, poverty, and disappointment. Tom says that he is ready to fight, that leaving his family (which was the necessary condition to join the movement which was following the aim to commit social justice) he still will be near them, he will be everywhere. In the places where people will fight for their rights and justice, where police will beat people, he will be there. The more important that he will be there where people will get what they want, that people will be able to eat, to work and to sleep in their houses, he will be there. These words are very powerful, they give moral satisfaction and fill souls with the same energy and desire for life.

“The Grapes of Wrath” is the first film in America that is considered to be a not sentimental film about simple people. Henry Fond, Tom Joad in the film, managed to open one of the main features of the American national character – searching for truth and justice. Introducing the great number of people who have driven away from all over the country, he serves as the personification of their searching for social justice. The film may be bravely called the classical movie, which is impossible to miss.