Of Mice and Men

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Often a movie is associated with its actors or its director. I would associate this film more with Horton Foote the brilliant scriptwriter, who sculpted the script from a great book by a formidable author, John Steinbeck. When I read Steinbeck's book I was in awe of the author's powerful strokes of simplicity. Adapting the book into a screenplay can be formidable. Foote did it earlier with Harper Lee's novel "To kill a Mockingbird". He did it again in Beresford's "Tender Mercies". Some of the flashes of brilliance in the script are the opening sequence of the woman running scared into the camera, the opening and closing images of light falling on the dark insides of a train car, the empty bus ride that Steinbeck did not present. Director Gary Sinise and Foote made the adaptation of the novel on screen look easier by adding details just as scriptwriter Robert Bolt and director David Lean did the opposite by compressing the details with Pasternak's "Doctor Zhivago". Both "Dr Zhivago" and "Of Mice and Men" are great examples of adapting literary works for the screen. This is not to discount the contribution of Gary Sinise. Director Sinise and Actor Sinise were admirable. The former brought out the finest in the latter. This is Sinise's finest performance. Malkovich is a talented actor--he commands attention. Whether a more restrained performance was called for or not is debatable. Equally stunning is the film's music by Mark Isham--the man who grabbed my attention in "Never Cry Wolf", "Mrs Soffel" and "A Midnight Clear". Sinise was wise using the music effectively when required and not overdoing it to evoke pathos. The music doesn't sooth you, it nudges you to reflect on life. The film is a great essay on loneliness. Most importantly, it is a great example of how a literary work ought to be adapted without changing the author's vision. Remarkably, the film added more to Steinbeck's work with the train ride and the bus ride. That's Foote!

It took me forever to get ahold of this movie. I had waited 2 weeks for it to be returned to the movie store. I waited four hours until the man brought it back to make sure I got it. Wow was it worth waiting for! I have not seen any movies lately that were so full of heart and love. Sinise and Malkovich BOTH play amazing roles in this film. I've seen it 5 times and everytime I cried at the dramatic ending. It shows how cruel and yet how loving people can be. This movie has a great mix of everything I think anyone could enjoy. I cannot believe I had never heard of this film before looking up info on Gary Sinise. This film should be a classic. The acting is superb and it holds your attention throughout the whole movie. I LOVE this movie incredibly!! Definitely a 10 out of 10!

How often are we forced to endure the uninsightful changes that are made to American classics in the process of turning them into feature films? The 1939 version of this movie is a prime example. It, very simply, was not the story that Steinbeck wrote. The changes that were made were too sweeping to be seen as anything other than some ego thinking that Steinbeck could be improved upon. Now, anyone who is truly familiar with Steinbeck knows that this is just not true. Gary Sinise has proven this familiarity. I have rarely had the pleasure of watching a movie that stayed so completely true to the original text. Not only does this movie not add or subtract from the book, the characters themselves are almost exactly how I had pictured them when I read this story for the first time. If you are looking for overblown sex and violence, for spectacular special effects, or for unbelievable demonstrations raw physical strength, move on. This movie will not interest you in the slightest. However, if you are looking for a story of true love and true courage, if you are looking for a movie whose beauty stems from a raw sense of humanity, then find yourself a quiet place, where you won't be interrupted and watch this. You won't be let down.

source: Of Mice and Men

I had read the book not more than 2 months ago for class and this was the first book I have ever read that actually made me glad to have read it. So I thought to myself, i just have to see this movie. So I watched the movie about a month and a half ago and I can say that the adaptation is nearly flawless and had rekindled my love for the book. This was also the first and only movie that has ever made me cry. Even though I knew exactly what was going to happen, I couldn't help it. This movie has touched me (and I think many others) in ways that I thought were never possible.

This is the third version of this movie. The first was made in 1939 with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney Jr. The second was a made for television movie with Robert Blake and Randy Quaid. They were both great movies and this one is even better. Everything in this movie was done right. The viewer really feels he is on that depression era ranch near Soledad. This movie is a "must-see" for everyone who doesn't require constant car-chases and things getting blown up to enjoy a movie. It's too bad the studios pulled all promotion of this great movie and only a fortunate few of us got to see it on the big screen. I highly recommend this movie.

I suppose there is no need to write something about the story because everyone has had to read the book ( but what is weird - me not) or just has known the storyline before. So it is clear that we are talking here about a real deep not-empty tale. As I 've wrote I cant compare the book with the film but I liked the movie much.Really well played character by Malkovitch whose playing looks to me similar to acting in the movie The Man On The Moon by Forman - Andy Kaufman. His speaking the most. And writing about scenes and story telling I cant say a wrong word about that. Nice locations with almost smellable corn during watching - wonderful. So in the end I have to recommend this piece both to admires of Steinbeck and to people who want to experience and enjoy the pure American country during the harvest :-).

This movie is one of my favorites, and I think that's a big statement from a 13 yr. old girl who usually likes movies with action, love, or ones more pointed toward my age group. John Malkovich is just great, and it sounds so odd to say this about a grown man, but his character was cute. You felt so sorry for him. The hope in the begining is such a sad contrast to the ending. This a good movie, but if you get bored easily it might get long.

Some of the most important details in the book were lacking in the film. Aspects of the book which really help you to understand each character were not shown in the film. After George shoots Lennie the film ends however a major piece of dialogue from the book is missed out. The film needs the dialogue between George and Slim as it helps the audience to understand exactly why George shot Lennie and how there was no other way but to end his life. Also the opening is not as descriptive and full of dialogue as Steinbeck made it in the book and takes some of the key moments away from the film. Overall too much was missed out from this film, although it was a great movie i think not enough was included