Number 179 on IMDb's Top 250
Tom Joad returns to his home after a jail sentence to find his family kicked out of their farm due to forecloseure. He catches up with them on his Uncles farm, and joins them the next day as they head for California and a new life... Hopefully. Hilarity ensues.
Trivia: The production had a fake working title, "Highway 66", so that the shoot of the controversial novel would not be effected by union problems. Much of the dire straits portrayed in the film continued during and after the release of the movie. Henry Fonda, still struggling to became a big Hollywood star, tried to avoid being a contract player for 20th Century-Fox Studios because he wanted the independence to choose his own projects (an increasing number of stars at the time were trying to gain such independence). But when the much-coveted part of Tom Joad was offered to him, Fonda hesitantly gave in and signed a contract to work with the studio for seven years because he knew it would be the role of a lifetime. Noah Joad simply vanishes after the scene of the family swimming in the Colorado River. In the book, Noah tells Tom he has decided to stay by the river. In the film, his disappearance is never explained.
Well, this was a good solid film with tremendous acting. Jane Darwell was absolutly amazing as the touch hopeful Ma Joad who stuggled to keep the family together as it was falling apart. And then, of course, there is Henry Fonda as Tom Joad, dignified and proud. My favorite character was Grandpa Joad, but then he died on the first day of the trip! What the heck?
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