#289: Of Mice and Men

Release Date: October 2nd, 1992

Format: DVD

Written by: Horton Foote

Directed by: Gary Sinise

3.5 Stars

About the biggest compliment that I can give to the Gary Sinise-directed Of Mice and Men, from 1992, is that I played it for a classroom of teenagers in Long Beach, California in the year 2026 and they watched it silently without touching their phones (for the most part). 

This is largely due to the universal appeal of John Steinbeck’s original novel, which is equal parts approachable and challenging, whether you’re a teenager or not. Kudos to Sinise and writer Horton Foote, who also adapted Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird into the screenplay for the classic 1960 film, for staying true to the core beauty and heart of Steinbeck’s novel.

Do I need to cover the plot? I’ll skip it, except to say that Foote only makes the slightest of adjustments to the story in his adaptation. His soft touch works well.

Sinise also clearly respects the original text. He takes care to establish this setting and these characters and gives them quiet moments to shine. He’s an actor’s director - the performances here are excellent, especially Ray Walston as Candy, Sherilyn Fenn as Curley’s wife, and John Malkovich as Lennie, who walks a fine line in his characterization of a man who can be pathetic, menacing, and tender from one scene to the next. Malkovich’s performance never feels exploitative of Lennie’s disability, either, which was commonplace in plenty of mainstream American films from the 1980s and ‘90s.

Does the film reach the brilliance and emotional depth of the 1937 novella? Of course not. But it’s in the hands of artists and performers who treat the material with love and respect.