OF MICE AND MEN

US, 1992, 115 minutes, Colour.
Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Ray Walston, Casey Sziemasko, Sherrilyn Fenn, Alexis Arquette, Richard Riehle, John Terry, Noble Willingham, Joe Morton.
Directed by Gary Sinise.

Of Mice and Men is a another telemovie remake of a classic original directed by Lewis Milestone. In the late 1930s, John Steinbeck's novels had great status e.g. The Grapes of Wrath, Tortilla Flat, which were filmed at the period). Of Mice and Men starred Lon Chaney Junior in what was considered his best role, and Burgess Meredith. Betty Field was Curly's wife.

The 1982 version had Robert Blake and Randy Quaid in the roles of George and Lenny. This film comes from the Steppenwolf company in Chicago and was presented on stage around the world. Gary Sinise toured with the play and is the director of the film. Playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote contributed to the screenplay. The film is faithful to Steinbeck's novel and its atmosphere - a tragic vision of a frustrated American dream but highlighting human nobility.

1. The work of John Steinbeck? The original film? The value of a remake - for what audience? The perennial interest in the novel, its themes? Classic status?

2. The impact and power of the telemovie? Length, pace - and the impact on the home audience for emotion and appreciation of themes?

3. Colour photography, California locations: the roads, the fields, countryside, sheds, house? The atmosphere of the '30s? Musical score - and its use of traditional American songs?

4. The effect of the film on the narrative level: two men, work, relationship, clashes, climax - death? An interesting story?

5. The impact of the film on the tragic level: the small man and the large man, the man with brains and the man without, the articulate man and the inarticulate, the shrewd and the simple? Friendship and the bonds between the two? The intertwining of their lives? Dependence? Relationship between two men? Shared vision and each looking after the other, living the other's life? Good and bad? Torment? Death? Vengeance and responsibility? The traditional elements of tragedy?

6. The characters seen within this narrative and tragic context? In themselves. recognisable types? Attitudes that they represented?

7. The introduction to George and Lenny: on the road. Lenny's aunt, the eating of the pie, George trying to leave Lenny on the steps, his getting a lift, his returning? Their being hired for work and George speaking for Lenny? The interviews with the boss? Friendship with Candy? The encounter with Crooks? Curly and his initial antagonism towards Lenny? Jealousy of the bigger man? The wariness of George about Curly's wife, Lenny's fascination? Slim and his giving the man a fair deal? Scenes of work - and Lenny's ability to lift the cart with Slim on it and George on the wheel? The life of the men in the shed - watching Curly, wanting fights, playing cards, the reaction to the shooting of Candy's dog? George and Lenny and George's ability with words and telling the stories, Lenny's egging him on and wanting to hear him, even though he knew the words - especially the rabbits and living off the fat of the land?

8. A 1930s variation of the American dream? The background of the Depression? Lenny's care and living off the fat of the land - and his seeing it before his death? Candy and Crooks and their shared vision? The old man, the black man, the wanderers - the simple men of this world and the possibility of their vision? Yet doomed? Candy as old man, his place on the farm, his character, friendship with his dog? His dog symbolising him? Caring for it, grief at the suggestion of its being killed? The build-up to the men playing cards, waiting for the shot? Candy realising he should have shot the dog himself? The parallel with George shooting Lenny? His sharing the vision, offering his money? His frustrated dream? The pessimism of the ending for Candy - a man of human dignity?

9. Crooks and his isolation, cripple, black? The American outsider? Lenny's going into his room and Crooks tormenting him? His fear? His offering to be part of the dream? Frustration and grief?

10. Slim and his friendship, efficiency, the gift of the pups, the butt of Curly's suspicions? Attitude toward the killing of Candy's dog and his belief in old things being shot? His standing up for Lenny during the fight with Curly and saving him? Helping George to escape
with Lenny? A fair and just man?

11. The boss and his toughness? Curly in the image of his father? His despising his son? The eating sequence with Curly's wife looking on in disgust?

12. Curly as villain: the small man, his jealousy? A small man contrasting with George? The difference of attitudes towards Lenny? Curly in himself, his hat, looking at himself in the mirror, going to the film with the boys? His suspicions? Clash with Slim and Slim making the horse rear? The fights? Picking on Lenny and punching him? Lenny's breaking his hand? His accepting Slim's suggestion about the story? His father seeing through him? His wife seeing through him? A bad and weak man?

13. Curly's wife: the marriage, her wandering and flirting, fondling the pup, her disgust at the pig-like way Curly and his father ate? Wandering around the fields? Her wanting to leave? The talk with Lenny and her death?

14. Lenny and his goodness, his being thrown in the river and George saving him and his gratitude? Strengths and weaknesses? His need for affection - the killing of the muse, the killing of his pup - and killing Curly's wife? The inevitability of the reaction, the posse chasing him, his vision of the fat of the land before George shot him? The discreet staging of George's shooting him and the pain for George? George's wandering the American road again?

15. A strong American story? The meaning of the title - as literally presented, as a quotation from Robert Burns' poem and the plans of mice and men going awry? Human possibilities and failure?