Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men (1939)

**** (out of 4)

A true masterpiece of the genre has Burgess Meredith playing George, the simple man who takes care of the soft hearted but dumb Lennie (Lon Chaney, Jr.). The two men get work on a ranch where they dream of owning their own land but fate always has a way of finding Lennie. Even though this film has the reputation of being a classic, I can't help but wonder why it isn't talked about more when it comes to some of the all time great movies. I'm going to guess the movie is often overlooked because it comes from 1939, the same year that gave us films like GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON to name just a few. The masterful performance by Chaney is probably overlooked because most people remember him mainly for his horror roles. Both reasons are understandable but there's no question this movie packs on emotional and peaceful punch that can't be topped by too many movies. Producer Hal Roach rushed this film into production to beat John Ford's THE GRAPES OF WRATH into theaters but you really can't tell. The direction, cinematography, screenplay and acting are so wonderful that you can't help but fall in love with the film. Chaney clearly steals the show as the dimwitted Lennie. That childlike quality that Chaney brings to the role is unforgettable and the sympathy he gains is unmatched. The film shows what a great actor Chaney could be if given the right parts. It's a shame he didn't get to do more dramatic roles in his career. Meredith, a fine character actor, is another one who never got enough credit in his career. He delivers a remarkable performance here that perfectly balances out the friendship between his character and Lennie. The real surprise comes in how terrific the supporting players are led by Charles Bickford's wonderful work as the tough guy in the group. Bob Steele, Roman Bohnen, Noah Beery, Jr. and Betty Field are all terrific as well. The film deals with a lot of subjects as one could argue the entire film is a moral drama. We deal with racism, abuse, personal torture and various other subjects but the film never comes off preachy. The ending, which I'm sure most people know even if they haven't seen any of the movies, packs a tremendous punch.

Steinbeck's classic story of 'my brother's keeper' brought to the silver screen in a reverent manner. Perhaps the biggest story in this film is the fact that Chaney jr. could REALLY act-he was undoubtedly cheated out of the Oscar for best actor. Merideth, best known to younger folks as Rocky's trainer does a fine job as the brains in this two man operation. Veteran cowboy star Bob Steele does a stand-out job as the heavy. The direction is steady and the script lifted literally from the novel(why improve perfection?) Remade several times, but never as effectively. Even if you've seen it 100 times, keep a hankie handy.

This movie has power. Some of todays movies are great extravaganzas but they have no power. The flawless performance given by Lon Chaney Jr. has never been surpassed. John Stienbeck wrote the story and is one of my favorite authors.

In this movie "Of Mice and Men" you can not help but be drawn into the story and feel every feeling that each character brings to the story. There are no big heroes here just people in a time of great tribulation. The director Lewis Milestone is superb in his making of this movie and also produced it.

I have seen all the remakes and there are none to compare. If you enjoy good movies don't miss this one and bring a box of Kleenex.

It's amazing that a film as good as this one came from a small studio like Hal Roach. Sure, they released many of their films through MGM but they were tiny and specialized in short comedies with the likes of Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase and The Little Rascals--but they were not known for dramas. Well, starting in the late 1930s, the studio tried their hand at such fare and in some cases did some lovely films--and "Of Mice and Men" is the best example of these new dramas.

As far as the story goes, it's much like the book and play---but with a few changes to meet the tough Production Code. The language was toned down--with swearing removed. Also, the film made a few minor changes in the play--but not many. What you see is essentially the Steinbeck story--and the studio trusted the source material enough to stick with it. They also should be applauded for picking two relative unknowns to star in the film--Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr..

Overall, the film is a smashing success. The acting is very good, the direction also nice and the film kept me on the edge of my seat. The only negative, and it's very, very, very minor, is that a few of the scenes looked very much like they were filmed on a set. Still, it's one of the best films of the year and had it not come out in 1939 (the same year as "Gone With The Wind", "The Wizard of Oz", "Goodby Mr. Chips", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and many other great films), it might have taken home some Oscars. Well worth seeing and a great example of a film made very well on a relatively small budget.

OF MICE AND MEN (1939) **** Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney Jr. embody John Steinbeck's tragic migrant workers George and Lennie during The Great Depression facing all the hard work and hard knocks life offers in their pursuit of The American Dream of `livin' off the fatta the lan' and wind up on a ranch with its share of down on their luck characters all enclaved to certain destinies and a heavy fall for our protagonists. Chaney (in his second icon role, the latter would be as the accursed Larry Talbott aka The WolfMan) personifies the gentle souled giant with a dim bulb who obeys his best friend George like a loyal dog and as his brother's keeper, Meredith allows his scrappiness a warmth underneath. Lennie Smalls would be endlessly used as a punchline in Looney Tunes toons to come (`which way did he go George!') and the film would be updated twice - one a tv movie with Robert Blake and Randy Quaid and a theatrical 90s version with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. This classic was also produced by famed studio maven Hal Roach.