Movie

THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940) 129M

Anecdotals:

-Ford was drawn to Steinbeck’s novel because his ancestors had suffered through the potato famine in Ireland that caused them to uproot from their Galway home.

-$750,000 budget; shot over 43 days

-Per last week’s note re Welles being influenced by STAGECOACH, same with this film, as Greg Toland, cinematographer here, was sought and hired by Welles for CITIZEN KANE.

-Ford’s stock company very apparent here:

John Carradine (Hatfield in STAGECOACH, Casey here) -11 films with Ford

Henry Fonda (Tom Joad) 9 films with Ford

John Qualen (Muley) 7 films with Ford

Ward Bond (Policeman) 24 films with Ford

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ford_Stock_Company

-Very telling historical point about Ford’s directing style and priorities: Fonda and Darwell forbidden to rehearse their film-ending dialogue for fear of diminished spontaneity and power.

-Film inspired songs by both Woody Guthrie and Bruce Springsteen

-Steinbeck’s highly controversial novel both banned and burned (in California certainly) to this very day(!)

NARRATIVE THEMATICS:

-Tom Joad as the noble outlaw found throughout Ford.

-Exploring social injustice yet again, and with Jim Casey’s Christ-like character, also social engagement, committing oneself to a larger cause… (Tom Joad’s final monologue).

-The shift from patriarchy to matriarchy…Pa Joad loses his “place” after losing his place.

STYLISTICS:

-Toland/Ford conjure up Dorothea Lange Depression era and migrant worker iconic photography (Most notably in Joad truck POV montage entering the transient camp.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_Lange

See also Horace Bristol photos (Bristol traveled with Steinbeck while researching the novel.)

https://www.google.com/search?q=horace+bristol+grapes+of+wrath&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS777US777&oq=horace+brist&aqs=chrome.4.0i355i512j46i512j69i57j0i512l3j0i457i512j0i22i30l3.24876j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

-Shot similarly to a Western film, with Joad truck much akin to covered wagon wending west.

-Music, much like STAGECOACH, filled with folk/traditional ballads, most prominently “Red River Valley.”

-A decided preference for the two-shot, with an aversion to the close-up (to be used only when preferred for greater emphasis, like final Tom & Ma dialogue.)

-Frames within frames? Ma Joad in mirror or sitting on truck running board, etc.

-Dance scenes in Ford as emblematic of the community. Besides, no one sings “Red River Valley” as wholesomely off key as Fonda … To be revisited most poignantly in MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, wherein no one dances as exquisitely dorky as Fonda…

(Bernardo Bertolucci also embraced the dance to great, but altogether different effect, in many of his films.)

-Note on the ending scene: Ford ended the film with the long shot at dawn of Joad walking along hill. Zanuck wanted a more upbeat conclusion. Ford told Zanuck to direct it himself, which he did…equally telling of Ford’s intent and priorities.

Reading: Sarris “1940-1947：The Poet Laureate” PP.91-123

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