Of Mice and Men (1992)

Two drifters, one a gentle but slow giant, try to make money working the fields during the Depression so they can fulfill their dreams.

Director:

Gary Sinise

Writers:

John Steinbeck (novel), Horton Foote (screenplay)

Stars:

John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Ray Walston

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Malkovich	...	Lennie Small
Gary Sinise	...	George Milton
Ray Walston	...	Candy
Casey Siemaszko	...	Curley
Sherilyn Fenn	...	Curley's Wife
John Terry	...	Slim
Richard Riehle	...	Carlson
Alexis Arquette	...	Whitt
Joe Morton	...	Crooks
Noble Willingham	...	The Boss
Joe D'Angerio	...	Jack
Tuck Milligan	...	Mike
David Steen	...	Tom
Moira Sinise	...	Girl in Red Dress (as Moira Harris)
Mark Boone Junior	...	Bus Driver

Storyline

Two traveling companions, George and Lennie, wander the country during the Depression, dreaming of a better life for themselves. Then, just as heaven is within their grasp, it is inevitably yanked away. The film follows Steinbeck's novel closely, exploring questions of strength, weakness, usefulness, reality and utopia, bringing Steinbeck's California vividly to life.

---

Plot Keywords:

simple minded | california | dead mouse | puppy | old man | 

---

Taglines:

We have a dream. Someday, we'll have a little house and a couple of acres. A place to call home.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some scenes of violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Des souris et des hommes

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$5,101,632

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Curley's wife has an unrevealed name, but actress Sherilyn Fenn gave her the name "Daisy."

---

Goofs

When George and Lenny first arrive at the ranch, Candy quiets the barking dogs by yelling at them. The two in front whimper and quiet, but the third one behind them is still barking despite no sound being heard.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[George sits on a train on a dark night looking depressed, scene cuts to girl with red dress running through field whimpering as George and Lennie escape from her]
George: [to Lennie] Come on.
[woman continues running in fright as George and Lennie continue running away from her as sergeants on horses with dogs track George and Lennie]
Lennie: George, they're gone. They're gone.
George: [angrily] Come on! Keep moving!
[both keep running as sergeants continue following them]

---

Connections

Referenced in Tesis (1996)

User Reviews

...and a hutch full of rabbits

"Of mice and men" is one of these movies we definitely need in our times.Gary Sinise 's directing is classic in the noblest sense of the term.The cinematography recalls some of those Ford (who adapted "Grapes of wrath",another Steinbeck's novel for the screen) gems of the forties or fifties.It is heart-rending to see Malkovich and his portrayal of the half-wit is one of the finest you can see in a nineties movies and leaves,for instance Dustin Hoffman's "rain man" character far behind.It takes a lot of guts to play such demeaning parts !Gary Sinise should not be forgotten either,in a performance which offers all the subtleties of the heart.

What moves me in the movie is the loneliness which frightens the characters .Everyone is searching for someone to rely on.Not only the two heroes (I think that ,actually, George needs more Lennie than the other way about)but also the old man -the scene with the old dog is almost unbearable;it will have an equivalent in a terrifying way at the end recalling Horace MacCoy's "they shoot horses don't they?"- Curley's wife;only the black guy has resigned himself to solitude.The scene when Candy and the two pals are talking of their future house -which we know from the very start they'll never have- is really heartwarming.At least,for one precious and fleeting moment,they could dream of a home,a fireplace and a hutch full of rabbits.