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The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath
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The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath

1940
Drama
2h 9m
A poor Midwest family is forced off of their land. They travel to California, suffering the misfortunes of the homeless in the Great Depression. (imdb)

The Grapes of Wrath

1940
Drama
2h 9m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 72.38% from 1978 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1998)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 14 Aug 2007
57
14th
"Rich folk come up an' they die, an' their kids ain't no good an' they die out. But we keep acoming, Pa, cus' we're the people that live." Spare me. Grapes of Wrath is loaded with this kind of good ole homespun wisdom. It's annoying and it's insulting. Maybe this kind of dialogue could work on the printed page, in the context of a larger work, but spoken by actors on the screen it's just awful.
Rated 14 Apr 2007
50
33rd
Classic Hollywood has a problem with this kind of movie. That's not Tom Joad, it's Henry Fonda in overalls. Everything is just too polished and pretty
Rated 27 Feb 2008
3
28th
Painfully overrated. I don't get all the praise this fuckin movie gets. It's boring and does no justice to the novel. Fonda is good but he's not Tom Joad, he's Henry Fonda. FitFortDanga nails it.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
86
77th
Required reading in High School for most people, a very moving story for those who pay attention. This movie is more than the monoloogue at the end. A classic adaptation of the Steibeck novel.
Rated 14 Oct 2020
100
97th
Hollywood's conservative nature meant that we couldn't see a more faithful version of the novel. But the adaptation still makes a classic film out of a Great American novel. First, the production of the picture is fantastic, as the oppressive & dystopian class warfare is beautifully built. It comes across as The Hunger Games minus the sci-fi. But second, the repeated themes of Christian imagery provide a great sermon on human worth and shared purpose. Highly recommended.
Rated 17 Nov 2019
80
75th
Living in this era would have sucked. Just pack up the jalopy with all your possessions and family members and hope none of them die.
Rated 17 Sep 2016
93
97th
Politically-tinged films had existed before this, but Grapes of Wrath was really the earliest I've seen that made serious attempts to explore the wider and broader societal mechanisms affect people's lives. Moving and thought-provoking, well-written, well-acted and with some beautiful landscape photography of rural Americana: Grapes of Wrath is an all-around masterpiece, and an important piece of the film canon. (Though perhaps a bit on the slow side)
Rated 11 Jul 2016
94
94th
One of the best American films of the 1940s, John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath is many things - an almost Biblical American myth of westward expansion, an epic road journey about family and survival, and a plea for compassion and social justice.
Rated 01 Sep 2014
72
43rd
Highly sanitized version of the book. Excellent cinematography though.
Rated 16 Jul 2014
55
22nd
Beautifully shot and engaging. Still it's simplistic from the romanticised view of these characters, to how it doesn't show them labouring away (it all feels glossed over, very Hollywood), to the irritating homespun wisdom (the final speech is nauseating). It's kind of silly too with its presentation of authority being cartoonishly over the top whilst its praise of the Government is absurd. I can't honestly call it bad, but I'm certainly not impressed. I'd very much like to read the novel.
Rated 30 Jun 2013
100
95th
Well man, life sure does suck. I was worried about watching a 1940s movie, but it was still captivating and told an amazing story. I didn't learn much about The Great Depression, already knew it all. I did learn that no matter what you do, life might suck.
Rated 24 Feb 2013
90
91st
A heartbreaking film that you can't help but be drawn in by. Fairly heavy-handed, but effective. Not a masterpiece like the book, but it's quite solid.
Rated 03 Jul 2012
93
96th
A potent drama that is as socially important today as when it was made, The Grapes of Wrath is affecting, moving, and deservedly considered an American classic.
Rated 03 Dec 2011
77
62nd
The fact that it's quite a bit softer than the book is a little off-putting, but it's still a very good film. Fonda is really great yet again.
Rated 11 Mar 2011
70
49th
I think it starts out hitting the same kind of powerfully emotional beats that the book does, but it ultimately progresses into a sissified adaptation that isn't nearly as identifiable or hard-hitting. John Ford's mastery of his craft is quite evident, though.
Rated 05 Nov 2010
91
96th
What I loved about this classic, besides its last dramatic 15 minutes and Gregg Toland's fascinating cinematography, is Casy, the ex-preacher, played by John Carradine, and his poignant disbelief.
Rated 17 Oct 2010
90
86th
Ignore the somehow exaggerated dialogues and speeches about morality: here's a treasure for celluloid fanatics. John Ford sure knew how to use his camera, with the abilities of cinematographer Gregg Toland (Citizen Kane).
Rated 09 Jul 2010
4
74th
Classic John Ford: the group dynamic set against the backdrop of American mythology. It's heartbreaking stuff, unfettered by the hokey elements that can bog down some of Ford's pictures (at least until the end). Henry Fonda is at the height of his powers, and Toland's lighting and compositions are rich.
Rated 02 Jun 2010
90
74th
I so wanted to give this historically important and socially relevant film a "100", but I just can't. Ford's direction is mediocre at best and frequently distracts the viewer from the excellent story and acting. Still, once one accepts that scenes will be oddly edited, lit, and framed, this is a film that everyone should see. You owe it to your country to know what life could be like if all social safety nets were removed.
Rated 11 Dec 2009
80
91st
Possibly the best thing Ford ever made. In keeping with the subject matter, it's more down-to-earth than the usual Hollywood drama from that period. Nuanced and very touching. Fabulously directed and shot by John Ford.
Rated 29 Aug 2009
72
46th
A classic film, but it still doesn't really do justice to the classic novel.
Rated 26 Jun 2009
50
23rd
Why do people like this movie so much? The message of the book barely shines through. The characters are horribly underdeveloped - for christ's sake, the development and transformation of the Joad family was one of the most important aspects of the novel. The story feels pointless and doesn't do any justice in its depiction of the Joads' hardships. Boring and maybe the most overrated film ever made.
Rated 22 Feb 2009
8
78th
It's rather uplifting, the film looks great, and Fonda is a likeable leading man, but some books should be left alone, "riiiight pa ?", lol.
Rated 23 Jul 2008
85
98th
A great film which brings into perspective america's notion of "the land of the free".
Rated 28 Oct 2007
96
94th
Just amazing. Philosophically provocative as a meditation on the existential condition and sociologically relevant (and contemporary) as a look at immigration. To think that once upon a time, the "Okie" was our "Mexican"!
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
80th
The book was far superior, but even a fraction of the greatness of Steinbeck's work makes for a great movie experience.
Rated 01 Jun 2007
87
87th
Really well done film with fantastic acting that really sets the mood of the depression. The first half of the film is a road trip full of hope towards California, while the 2nd depicts the struggles they encounter when they get there and everything is really well tied together. The social critique is strong without being overbearing.
Rated 15 Oct 2022
86
92nd
Most of the time I have to give tons of concessions to Golden-era Hollywood productions for the lack of modern sensibilities but The Grapes of Wrath is no such film. The long cut-less takes, lack of score, and stage-like acting give weight to everything happening in this film because it forces the viewer to confront what is on-screen without any distractions. Sure, it may never truly live up the novel so many of us had to read as ninth-graders but it about as good an adaptation as there is.
Rated 09 Oct 2022
92
70th
A brilliant portrayal of the devastation of the dustbowl in the midst of the Great Depression and the absence of any social safety net. The black and white photography of the day is the perfect element to portray the desperation of the people and times. As the new arrivals in California try to get a footing, respond to the possibility of collective action through unionizing to improve their situation, the big growers and land owners use the police to enforce their privileged position.
Rated 23 Mar 2022
80
79th
Bordering on the mythological, this saga of an uprooted family does seem a little too talky in parts (especially near the end). It has a humanity that makes us look at individual stories here (even when they don't always have endings). Sumptuous cinematography.
Rated 07 Jun 2021
80
97th
This is a tale of American desperation and strength in the face of adversity. Its characters are honest and honorable people portrayed by Ford's imagery in a very favorable light. Henry Fonda delivers a classic performance as Tom Joad.
Rated 14 Apr 2020
82
82nd
While some aspects of the film certainly show their age today, I still found its political elements to be very resonant and effective.
Rated 22 Jan 2020
99
97th
One of Ford's greatest achievements (happily missing one of his usual slapstick interludes) tells Steinback's gripping heartbreaker with the perfect balance of emotion and pragmatism, giving Fonda one of the most interesting variations on his "nobleman" persona. Manages a clear-eyed depiction of the Joads' struggles without wallowing in suffering-porn, even providing some nice relief courtesy of cameos from fellow good-hearted citizens. Final speech (while unlikely) is a powerful barnstormer.
Rated 23 Feb 2019
95
94th
95.00
Rated 04 Oct 2018
90
78th
American capitalism at some of its ugliest - Zanuck sent a PI to check out whether Steinbeck was exaggerating in his book, only to hear that conditions were actually worse. Some scenes in this movie have that weird Hollywood "uncanny valley" feel, while others are just heartbreakingly spooky, especially the hungry kids swarming the Joads in the tent city.
Rated 18 Feb 2018
60
27th
Tom Joad: "I'll be all around in the dark - I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look - wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready, and when the people are eatin' the stuff they raise and livin' in the houses they build - I'll be there, too."
Rated 24 Nov 2017
100
97th
What a great masterpiece. I love you John Ford, you really did this. Anyone except you can't John Steinbeck's greatest novel The Grapes of Wrath to a movie like this. You are the best.
Rated 23 Sep 2017
95
89th
wonderful expectation being family wild capitalism and poverty
Rated 09 Jul 2017
5
81st
It kind of stifles a lot of radical thought present in Steinbecks novel and of course the ending is completely different. It still works tho, it's just a more optimistic ending. Some excellent work with shadows in the night scenes at camp.
Rated 18 May 2017
80
92nd
Ford seemed like the ideal director for a film adaptation of Steinbeck's polemic against poverty, and even if the novel is watered down in its translation to the big screen, he starkly evokes the time period populated by salt-of-the-earth characters who desperately struggle to maintain a mere sustenance existence against the odds. Tolland's work is exemplary, capturing the desolate dustbowl setting marked by delapidated dwellings and arid fields in stunning chiaroscuro to ghostly effect.
Rated 15 Apr 2017
94
94th
One of the best American films of the 1940s, John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath is a beautifully potent and effectively romanticized account of Westward expansion that remains as relevant today as it was when first released.
Rated 19 Dec 2015
90
99th
You can sense a change in the wind with John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath (1940). Both on a social level and from a film making angle. There is a lot more pessimism before we reach any kind of glimmer of light, and the tone of performances are deeper then what one would find in a typical poverty drama of the 30s. Incredible portrayals from all involved. The roots in reality is the film's undeniable strength, and the reason why this is a enduring classic of social Americana.
Rated 22 Feb 2015
70
56th
Seems like a proto-neorealist movie.
Rated 13 Oct 2014
50
29th
An uneven (but superbly photographed) ode to the triumph of the human spirit (or perhaps socialism) with a heavy-handed script and too many scenes featuring bad child actors. Jane Darwell is fantastic, though.
Rated 06 Jan 2014
80
69th
Steinbeck's overwhelming sadness and anger are conveyed beautifully through Toland's photography, and it has profoundly affecting moments. Unfortunately I was really distracted by the bad accents, and the original plot, which is already pretty wonky, is stretched and poked around much to the film's detriment. Grapewin gives the only authentic performance, and Carradine hams it up like he's in a B-movie. You can't ruin this story (hence my score), but it seems like somebody was trying.
Rated 17 Aug 2013
85
68th
One of Ford's best films. Not as forced and steeped in melodrama as some of his other popular films. Ford focuses on the faces of his actors and lets them tell the story through their performances.
Rated 04 Jul 2013
40
54th
Interesting for its presentation, rather than sociopolitical criticism or whatever. If there's anything great thing about it, it's the photography, which is magnificent. Utterly bleak.
Rated 24 Jun 2013
100
99th
One can almost use this movie as a staple for democracy, though Tom Joad is way more humanistic than we could ever hope to be.
Rated 08 Apr 2013
90
84th
Fonda and Carradine are magnificent in this mostly unsentimental adaptation of Steinbeck's masterpiece. The omission of the novel's final scene, in which Rose nurses a starving man from her breast, is understandable considering the Hay's code, but goddamn, is it a shame such a beautiful testament to human perseverance had to go.
Rated 12 Jan 2013
85
67th
It's shocking to see a film that loves its characters this much, and it's shocking that it's shocking.
Rated 29 Aug 2012
20
30th
Too simplistic to be really effective. But it's undeniably well shot and acted, and at times touching.
Rated 23 May 2012
80
69th
Fonda shines in the lead and Ford directs quite well.
Rated 08 Feb 2012
75
81st
I thought it was pretty good. It had a bunch of good ideas, and some real emotion to it. Henry Fonda was great as the lead character. It's a film that was ahead of its time, and I say it's worth a watch.
Rated 27 Jan 2012
80
81st
Starts out with a few oddly silly moments , but after a while it settles down into a serious drama about the hardships of the Joad family as they're forced out of their home in Oklahoma and migrate west to find work. Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell steal the show, and some of the best scenes in the movie are just the two of them talking. It's a bittersweet film, and its themes are just as relevant now as they were when it came out over 70 years ago.
Rated 22 Nov 2011
86
94th
A little more optimistic than what I was expecting, but it still gives a great feel for the dustbowl and the depression in general. You really can't expect too much pessimism from movies in the 40s.
Rated 13 Nov 2011
78
56th
I enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second half. The ride to California was pretty entertaining, but once they got there the movie lost some momentum. The dialog was a bit cheesy, not a big deal though. I enjoyed Fonda's performances a lot, but some of the others', notably the old people, were a bit over the top. This is a strong film with some good moments, but I can't help but see it as being a little overrated.
Rated 03 Apr 2011
96
99th
A classic with honor even after seventy years. Must be watched! Do not waste time.
Rated 23 Nov 2010
40
97th
"The Grapes of Wrath is flawed, but it captures that shiver of panic that grips anyone for whom the money for the next meal is unknown." - Chuck Bowen
Rated 28 Sep 2010
100
91st
One of the all-time great films. Ford's direction and a superb cast make this story of a group of people who were almost destroyed by the Depression a "must".
Rated 13 Jan 2010
94
88th
129
Rated 19 Sep 2009
8
89th
Overall, I really liked it. The performances are top-notch, the lighting and cinematography are beyond solid, and the themes are subdued enough as to not come across as heavy-handed. What bothered me is that even though I haven't read the book, I still felt like it was just going through the motions.
Rated 18 Aug 2009
90
89th
A wee bit slow to truly enjoy, but so absolutely powerful in its message, it's impossible not to respect and adore.
Rated 20 Jun 2009
94
86th
A great American novel turned into a great movie - unfortunately they lightened up the ending which is its only fault.
Rated 09 Apr 2009
100
93rd
A superb film which could scarcely be improved upon. Though the ending is softened from the book, there was too much here for the filmgoers to chew on. Acting, photography, direction combine to make this an unforgettable experience, a poem of a film.
Rated 06 Dec 2008
90
88th
Not as "naturalistic" as we expect today, but still a powerful story, well acted and cast. The settings and locations alone, in 1930's America, make it worth watching. We've forgfotten what hard times are like.
Rated 21 Mar 2008
70
78th
we're the people that live
Rated 27 Feb 2008
76
62nd
The performances are great, especially from Fonda, Carradine, and Darwell. I like the novel, but for some reason the same ideas feel a bit manipulative in the film.
Rated 08 Feb 2008
87
83rd
Really moving. The book changed my life -- as cliche as that sounds -- and the movie was just as good.
Rated 16 Jan 2008
80
86th
Memorable Ford+Fonda classic based on Steinbeck's novel.
Rated 23 Oct 2007
90
89th
Some of the film gets a bit too talky and didactic for me, but Ford's willingness to film the squalor of those camps, the fabulous and understated scene of the kids getting discounted food in the restaurant, and the joy of the dance in contrast to the rest of the film all really work for me. Oh, and this has been the best thing I've seen Carradine do for Ford--great performance.
Rated 16 Sep 2007
80
89th
Strong story with great acting by Fonda
Rated 07 Mar 2007
4
70th
Some of it is a bit hokey and weathered by age, and the dialogue doesn't translate extremely well to the screen, but the performances - especially those by Carradine and Fonda - are fantastic and sell the words with surprising believability. There was never an actor more likeable than Henry Fonda (though Jimmy Stewart poses a challenge), and he is key in getting across the message without making the movie seem like manipulative schlock. It's a honest, heartfelt message picture.
Rated 22 Jun 2022
60
31st
Ford's adaptation looks beautiful, but I find it difficult to separate from Steinbeck's novel. The film lacks dramatic weight; it's barely a sketch of the plot, the themes, the characters. We don't take enough time to really focus on the trial of the journey, the grief, the emotional strain, the dangers of starvation; the richness and the detail is sorely lacking here. I see a lot of reviews commenting on how bleak this is... peeps, please. Read the novel. You're in for a rough ride.
Rated 09 Aug 2021
92
98th
It's more of a fable than a film, an examination of how the illusion of the American Dream can really stiff the people on the bottom. Still feels timely, which is no mean feat.
Rated 28 Sep 2020
80
94th
2. Blatant communist propaganda but boy is the film good. Even the sheer polit-agitation by Henry Fonda's character via his monologue at the end works great and hits hard. Fonda was a powerhouse, truly. The whole film is memorable and all the members of the family are before my eyes when I think of it - which speaks highly of the casting, acting, screenplay and direction. Casy the preacher, Ma Joad, the rest. "A man lives, sorta, well, in jerks. With a woman, it's all in one flow like a stream"
Rated 29 Nov 2017
3
25th
was not interesting for me. Stopped watching after 20 min
Rated 09 Mar 2017
69
28th
This film is considered a classic but it does not work for me. There are numerous slow spots in the film. The main character is not very likeable and his actions sometimes make it hard to feel sorry for him. Overall this film is disappointing.
Rated 24 Feb 2016
15
82nd
Star Rating: ★★★★
Rated 19 May 2015
3
30th
some beautifully despairing imagery here. however, even at his most socialist-friendly, john ford's nauseating americana is difficult to stand. surely the working class is scorned by presenting the midwest poor as a bunch of mentally deficient dimwits, and it's difficult to imagine the cognitive dissonance required to have a perfectly working commune run by the United States of Fucking American Government (sic). surely weedpatch camp wasn't the communist utopia presented in the film. i digress.
Rated 27 Dec 2014
65
45th
I know this is an all time classic, but I just saw it for the first time a few months ago. Not as good as i was hoping. It's hard for films from this era to really get me because most of them just don't hold up today.
Rated 20 Nov 2013
78
66th
i've never seen what all the fuss about steinbeck was about. as for this movie, fonda is good, and ford's done better. there were some pretty great scenes, but a lot of stuff in between that was lukewarm.
Rated 08 Nov 2013
92
94th
It's difficult for a movie with a political and social message to not crumble into demagogy, but "Grapes of Wrath" certainly gets away from that trap. A heart-wrenching movie with great acting and perfect cinematography.
Rated 16 Aug 2013
8
85th
Enjoyment: 7/10, Plot: 8/10 Themes: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Direction: 9/10 Acting: 8/10 Writing: 8/10 Score: 7/10 Editing: 8/10 Design: 8/10
Rated 08 Nov 2012
42
8th
I couldn't get through the book in high school, and I didn't much enjoy the movie now. It's one of those movies that's considered great only because of its attempt to capture an important chapter of American history, not because it's good as a film.
Rated 08 Jan 2012
90
59th
who can believe that, once upon a time in America, people lived that bad!
Rated 30 Nov 2011
94
88th
#121
Rated 29 Sep 2011
78
79th
yol, yolculuk, fakirlik, sefalet (kapitalizme agir elestiriler getiriyor. Tarlalari ellerinden alinan köyülülerin külüstür bir kamyon ile yaptiklari yolculugu konu ediniyor. Paralarini denlşestirmek icin jarcamalarina itina gösteren grup calismak icin kaliforniyaya giderler fakat kaliforniyada istediklerini bulamazlar. sonrasinda tarim bakanligi kampinda sosyalist bir komünal yasam kendini gösterir. polisin olmadigi insanlarin kendini yönettigi bir kamptir burasi) iyi filmdir.
Rated 07 Sep 2011
70
45th
Good book but not so good movie.
Rated 04 Jul 2011
85
92nd
John Ford, who I'd always viewed as a somewhat conservative American director, makes the case for some "progressive" socialist thinking... As such, the point of this movie should be as poignant for Americans these years, as it was in the aftermath of The Great Depression.
Rated 06 Jun 2011
80
82nd
watched: 2011, 2022
Rated 10 Feb 2011
70
19th
Great performances, looks amazing, but something is missing and I'm not sure what.
Rated 26 Dec 2010
92
96th
92.000
Rated 07 Apr 2010
70
61st
Not that it's a bad movie, has incredible scenes and phrases, but it is too sentimental and historically questionable. Still many people say the book is much better, I dont know.
Rated 22 Nov 2009
70
68th
Not a faithful adaptation, but Ford makes his own movie out of the story, and it's a good one.
Rated 14 Oct 2009
70
46th
" an' their kids ain't no good an' they die out. But we keep acoming, Pa, cus' we're the people that live." thats just low,too stupid,i bet terrorists say the same thing
Rated 19 Dec 2008
94
88th
127
Rated 05 Mar 2008
70
41st
Didn't do the book justice at all.
Rated 01 Mar 2008
94
90th
# 119

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