The Grapes of Wrath ***** (1940, Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine) – Classic Movie Review 1825

Best Director John Ford and Best Supporting Actress Jane Darwell both won essential Oscars for this stupendous 1940 film of the John Steinbeck story about the odyssey of the Joads.

They are a poor Oklahoma farming family forced off their land and driven by drought to California, where they become near-slave labour in the Great Depression dustbowl of the Thirties.

In a long and distinguished career with many highlights, the film’s main star Henry Fonda was never better than here as the beleaguered Tom Joad, and he was robbed of an Oscar for this performance which earned him, astonishingly, his sole Oscar nomination till he finally won for On Golden Pond in 1981.

Ford, who also received the New York Film Critics Award for this movie and The Long Voyage Home, impeccably turns the tale into a cinema classic, with the help of a distinguished screenplay by Nunnally Johnson (who also produced), Gregg Toland’s superb black and white cinematography and a clutch of fine performances, particularly from Darwell, who is heartrending as Ma Joad, John Carradine as Casey, Russell Simpson as Pa Joad and Charley Grapewin as Grampa Joad.

The song ‘Red River Valley’ is played on the accordion by Ford regular Dan Borzage.

Ford said: ‘I liked the idea of this family trying to find their way in the world. It was a timely story and it’s still a good picture. Toland did a great job.’

The long list of supporting players feature many of Ford’s regular repertory company of favourites. They include Dorris Bowdon, Zeffie Tilbury, Frank Sully, Frank Darien, Shirley Mills, O Z Whitehead. Grant Mitchell. Eddie Quillan, John Quaylen, Darryl Hickman, Ward Bond, Frank Faylen, Joe Sawyer, Mae Marsh, Charles B Middleton, Harry Tyler, Tom Tyler, John Arledge, Hollis Jewell, Paul Guilfoyle, Charles D Brown, Roger Imhof, William Pawley, Arthur Aylesworth, Charles Tannen, Selmer Jackson, Eddie C Waller, David Hughes, Cliff Clark, Adrian Morris, Robert Homans, Irving Bacon, Kitty McHugh. Francis Ford, and Jack Pennick.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1825

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com/