Genre Country Director Actor

Of Mice and Men (1939)

Lewis Milestone, 1939

Star Review

George and Lenny, two travelling farm hands, work their way around depression-era America, moving on whenever trouble finds them. It happens frequently - George is a huge simpleton with the strength of a gorilla, the mind of a child and a hankerin’ for stroking soft things...

They happen upon a ranch where trouble's brewing in the shape of the boss's son's new wife (Betty Field). But they bring more than just a couple of pairs of rough hands, they harbour an infectious dream - owning a small place of their own, and working it themselves. Through Candy (Roman Bohnen), their long-standing ambition comes terribly close to being possible but (as in Robert Burn's poem 'To a mouse' which inspired Steinbeck to write the novella) their plan goes askew “And leaves us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy!”

This classic, Oscar-nominated adaptation tackles the source material confidently and makes great use of both Lon Cheney Jr.'s physical bulk and acting talents, which hold up superbly amongst a strong cast. The deft cinematography (highlighted on this DVD by a crisp print) really comes alive when George gets angry - his towering mass awash with shadows and looming, claustrophobic shots recalling nothing less than the horror films he became most famous for.

Dan Hunter on 5th September 2007

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