Dust Bowl Disaffection

A lonely country crossing; a dusty haze sliding low along the ground; a solitary man with a purpose. Oh, I can almost feel the heat of the sun on my skin, the swish of the dust in my hair and the sting in my eyes! The opening scene of Grapes of Wrath is truly beautiful in its simplicity. Its careful imagery sets a desperate tone for the remainder of the film, while instantly capturing the viewer’s interest. 

Normally, I am not a fan of black and white movies. There’s something about KNOWING that the sky should be blue, but instead seeing a shade of grey just shy of white that plays tricks with my mind; I am instantly apathetic, no matter what else a film has to offer. However, in this one, special, case, I found that the lack of colour truly contributes to the grey, hard life which the Joads have been forced to lead. It is not that they do not know happiness; instead, the black and white serves as a sort of contrast between the happiness they must have known and the dullness they are now experiencing. 

The distinction between the shadows and candle light in the Joad’s recently abandoned house is especially interesting. The whites of their eyes are so clearly visible, and the emotion within them seems magnified by hundreds of times just because we are forced to focus on their unhappiness. 

These contrasts carry on throughout the film, sometimes to the point where you cannot see much at all besides a black screen and the quick flick of a candle or flashlight as a character moves from scene to scene. In these places, the music, or lack of music is also interesting. For the majority of the movie, and definitely within the most crucial scenes, there is no music whatsoever. While at times this causes the viewer to lose interest or understanding, at other times it helps to emphasize the desperate nature of the film.

Despite all of the positive cinematic qualities that this movie possesses, I found myself disappointed at the end. For the majority of the movie, I was confused by its purpose; there just didn’t seem to be a true, cohesive plot which carried through the whole movie. Or if there was a plot, it just didn’t seem to have the suspense or excitement needed to carry the movie along in an interesting manner.

While portraying life in the Depression, specifically in the Dust Bowl region, appropriately and accurately, Grapes of Wrath just wasn’t able to hold my attention with its story line.

Regardless of my movie critique, I feel like you really have to admire the Joads. Their life hasn’t been easy, and probably won’t get easier anytime soon. While their accompanying story wasn’t my favorite, the essential message within the story really struck a cord with me, and probably with other viewers based on its popularity. It’s a story of determination and hope, of struggle and of wandering, and lastly a story of home. “We'll go on forever, Pa, 'cause we're the people,” said Ma Joad, and you can’t help but believe her.