Film Critique: “Grapes of Wrath”

Film Critique: “Grapes of Wrath”

INTRODUCTION

“Grapes of Wrath” a movie based on the novel of same title written by John Steinbeck. It tells the story of Joads, a family from Oklahoma, who were affected by the Great Depression of 1930, and end up losing their farm. Since the damage to family business, they end up in California as migrant workers. The film is the depiction of their grueling journey throughout the United States as they search for work and opportunities.

THESIS STATEMENT

Intentionally or unintentionally, the movie “Grapes of Wrath” while criticizing American social system supports communism.

CRITICAL REVIEW

The movie tells the story of a poor family in the state of Oklahoma, which during the Great Depression of 1930 is forced to abandon the lands they occupied for decades, under the sharecroppers, due to the arrival of progress, translated by buying tractors and machinery by these owners, and a new property regime (Sobchack, 1979). This classic American movie treats the effects of the great depression of small family farmers in the American West.

The depiction of the reality in the movie is unquestionable, since there were many Americans who were affected from the great depression. The film criticizes the social system of America, and some where support communism, which at that time was one of the strongest country of the World (Nugent, 1940).

Every concept of the film clearly demonstrates the understanding of the director and screenplay writers regarding the economic situation and psyche of audience. The film has been received well by the leading critics of that time, as Bosley Crowther one of the most credible critic of that time termed “Grapes of Wrath” among the top fifty films ever made (Nugent, 1940). Unlike the novel, which certainly criticizes the governmental system of that time, the movie did not end like the novel, because of the controversial nature of the original plot. The film opens with some suspense than connecting point to point to help Tom Joad find his family (Nugent, 1940).. While watching the movie, at certain points it has been observed that the movie intentionally or unintentionally conveys the message of communism. Although, the idea is not promoted throughout the movie, instead it criticizes the then administrative system of United States.

Visual Transition

This movie has been critically considered as an adaptation of fiction, as a relic based on culture that illuminates several facets of famous ideology and ...