Of Mice and Men

I saw this over thirty years ago and never forgot it. It's the best version ever made of Steinbeck's OF MICE AND MEN. Nicol Williamson brought an astonishing reality to the character of Lennie. I find it almost incomprehensible that more people aren't aware of this. Whatever happened to the negative? I hope it exists and that someone will restore and revive it. George Segal wasn't bad either.

Back in the 60s, David Susskind's Talent Associates did a number of TV adaptations of plays that had previously been made into feature films. Also included were A HATFUL OF RAIN and THE DESPERATE HOURS, and there was also an infamous remake of LAURA, which had not been a stage play. George Segal was Lennie in this production, getting good support from Nicol Williamson as Lennie, although more than once, the actor's obvious intelligence made his Lennie seem just a superficial characterization. Will Geer made an excellent Candy, and it was one of his more showy roles as he worked his way back from the blacklist. Joey Heatherton was, well Joey, in her interpretation of Curly's wife. It would be nice if Susskind could find a way to put some of these programs, all done for ABC, onto DVD, if only to preserve the efforts of all of those behind them, as videotape is hardly a great storage medium.

We were "assigned" by our English teacher to watch this production when I was in high school. It was my first introduction to Nicole Williamson, who was astonishing as Lenny. It wasn't until I saw him on a talk show about a year later that I realized he was English. Segal was also good as George, although he plays the role as more "frantic" than it is usually played. The entire cast was very good except for the unfortunate attempt by Joey Heatherton to act.

Don Gordon played Curly in this version--I have added this to the database.

The release date which is listed (1970) is wrong, by the way, since I graduated from high school in 1969.

George Segal gives one of his best performances as Lenny's friend and caretaker. The tenderness and love he puts across are subtle yet powerful and shows us the soul of a man who sees his relationship with his friend as one stemming from true affection and not mere obligation. It's a relationship that would be strained even among blood relatives, but Segal portrays George Milton as a man who still holds a dream for a better life even while coping with a brutal world on his own behalf and on behalf of his feeble minded childhood friend.

With very few bells and whistles, the design of a set can dramatically convey a mood. This film gives a telling example of how mood and theme can be conveyed through light, shade and texture.

Almost from the beginning we get the creepy feeling that something is not going to go well for George and Lenny from the somber tones of the world in which we find them. Visually, one can almost feel the despair of the Great Depression and its affect on the down-and-out who had to find some way to survive then, however meanly.

I recommend reading Steinbeck's humane masterpiece and viewing several other film adaptations of it to see the many levels at which this story can be told and interpreted.

I saw this version when I was 13 years old and have never forgotten it. After it was over I had to shut myself in the bathroom because I didn't want anyone in my house seeing me cry so uncontrollably. It is the definitive film version of Steinbeck's book. How could something this good not be restored and re-released on dvd or available to stream? Powerful people in the film and tv industry need to unearth it somehow.