This takes place in Depression era America. George (Burgess Meredith) and simple-minded Lennie (Lon Chaney Jr.) find work on a farm run by short and sadistic Curley (Bob Steele). He also has an unhappy wife (Betty Field) who LOVES to flirt with the farmhands. George wants to find a place of his own to run with Curley--but tragedy changes things quite a bit.
I never read the book (I'm not a fan of John Steinbeck's writing) so I can't compare it to that. What I got was a very good movie done in by heavy-handed dialogue and some not so good acting. The film is well-done--it looks great and gets the feeling of the times down cold. However the script doesn't work. More often than not it sounds like the characters are making speeches instead of talking (George especially). It slows the movie down and what he's saying is so obvious that it gets boring. Meredith was a good actor and he does what he can but even his considerable acting abilities can't put everything through. Chaney Jr. on the other hand was great as Lennie. The part could have very easily become comical but Chaney pulls it through. You even sympathize with him when he commits a very violent act late in the film. He doesn't mean to hurt anybody but he does in an innocent way. Field is also excellent in her role. Unfortunately Steele isn't that good. He's the right size for the role (he was 5'5") and he's good-looking but wasn't much of an actor. Also I saw the predictable tragic ending coming from a mile away. It's well-done and all but don't expect a masterpiece of cinema. I give it a 7.
I never read the book (I'm not a fan of John Steinbeck's writing) so I can't compare it to that. What I got was a very good movie done in by heavy-handed dialogue and some not so good acting. The film is well-done--it looks great and gets the feeling of the times down cold. However the script doesn't work. More often than not it sounds like the characters are making speeches instead of talking (George especially). It slows the movie down and what he's saying is so obvious that it gets boring. Meredith was a good actor and he does what he can but even his considerable acting abilities can't put everything through. Chaney Jr. on the other hand was great as Lennie. The part could have very easily become comical but Chaney pulls it through. You even sympathize with him when he commits a very violent act late in the film. He doesn't mean to hurt anybody but he does in an innocent way. Field is also excellent in her role. Unfortunately Steele isn't that good. He's the right size for the role (he was 5'5") and he's good-looking but wasn't much of an actor. Also I saw the predictable tragic ending coming from a mile away. It's well-done and all but don't expect a masterpiece of cinema. I give it a 7.