The Grapes of Wrath (1991) (TV)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Directors:

Kirk Browning
Frank Galati

Writers:

Frank Galati (writer)
John Steinbeck (novel)

Release Date:

29 March 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Great Depression | Dust Bowl | California USA | Ex Convict | Pulitzer Prize Source

Cast

Gary Sinise	...	Tom Joad
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Breuler	...	Pa Joad
Ron Crawford	...	Willy
Mark Deakins	...	Connie Rivers
Francis Guinan	...	First Narrator / Car Salesman / The Man Going Back / Weedpatch Camp Director / Mr. Wainwright
Terry Kinney	...	Reverend Jim Casey
Sally Murphy	...	Rose of Sharon
James Noah	...	Uncle John
Jeff Perry	...	Noah Joad
Christopher M. Russo	...	Al Joad (as Christopher Michaels)
Lois Smith	...	Ma Joad
Rick Snyder	...	Car Salesman / Floyd Knowles
Alan Wilder	...	Muley Graves

Runtime:

142 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

FNM Films

Trivia:

Gary Sinise was nominated for the 1990 Tony Award (New York City) for Supporting or Features Actor in a Drama for "The Grapes of Wrath" for a role he recreated in this production.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Soundtrack:

Yes Sir, That's My Baby

Beautifully rendered stage adaptation

This is a beautifully rendered stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel, created by Frank Galati and Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company and originally presented by PBS's Great Performances, directed for television by Kirk Browning. Gary Sinise and Lois Smith are terrific as Tom and Ma Joad and the entire cast makes incredible use of an almost-bare stage to create the world of the 1930s dust bowl. Notably, this production also restores the original (stunningly moving) ending of Steinbeck's novel, changed in the 1940 John Ford film for censorship reasons. Truly an ensemble piece, one only wishes it was available on home video -- ask Broadway Theatre Archive and/or Kultur DVD to make this one available, as they have so many other PBS Great Performances shows.