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.

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Plot Keywords:

simple minded | reference to the novel of mice and men | california | dead mouse | puppy | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama

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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

Opening Weekend USA:

$97,851, 4 October 1992

Gross USA:

$5,471,088

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,471,088

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

Gary Sinise (George, Director) and Casey Siemaszko (Curley) have the same birthday, March 17.

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Goofs

At various points in the movie, you can see Candy's clenched fist where there isn't supposed to be a hand.

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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]

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Connections

Version of Of Mice and Men (2013)

User Reviews

A Beautifully Rendered Mutilation of Curley's Wife

Warning, I'm a Steinbeck purist.

I loved this film. I even arm-twisted my two pre-teen/teenaged daughters to go with me. For the closing scene I left my chair, went to the back and cried, even though I knew what was coming.

The acting, the sets/props, the cinematography were all outstanding, sometimes brilliant. The only problem was the script--Curley's wife was softened, made into a victim instead of Steinbeck's brilliantly conceived and rendered cruel, cynical female villain. All that work, the craft, sweat and tears it took for him to create her, mutilated for the sake of profit.

But this is nothing new. Every stage and screen interpretation of OMM has done the same thing. Why? Money, of course. Women make up the majority of moviegoers (and an even larger majority of movie-going decision-making). What producer has the courage to offend a predominately female audience?

Well, American BEAUTY didn't do so badly.

It is well known that Elaine Steinbeck lobbied John to allow the Curley's wife character to be softened. She was trained in theater. She wanted the stage and film versions to be a "success."

Well, just once I'd like to see Curley's wife depicted just as John created her. Especially the scene where she barges in to Crooks' room and calls him "N****" repeatedly and threatens him with lynching.

It's cultural self-deception to pretend that women can't be just as nasty as men. Are all you producers cowards or what?

(Kudos to Ken Wales and Jane Seymour for going the distance with EAST OF EDEN!)