The Grapes of Wrath (1940) ft. Kieran B.
Dana and Tom with 13x guest, Kieran B (Host and Creator of the Best Picture Cast; @bestpicturecast) discuss the adaptation of John Steinbeck's famous novel, The Grapes of Wrath (1940) for its 85th anniversary: directed by John Ford, written by Nunnally Johnson, ainematography by Gregg Toland, music by Alfred Newman, starring Henry Fonda, John Carradine, and Jane Darwell.
Plot Summary: The Grapes of Wrath, directed by John Ford and based on John Steinbeck’s novel, follows the Joad family, struggling to survive during the Great Depression. After being evicted from their Oklahoma farm, they journey west to California in search of work and a better life. Led by Tom Joad (Henry Fonda), the family faces hardship, exploitation, and disillusionment as they encounter the harsh realities of migrant labor. Despite suffering immense loss, their resilience endures, with Ma Joad (Jane Darwell) embodying the family’s unwavering hope. The film is a poignant exploration of poverty, injustice, and the strength of the human spirit.
Guest:
Kieran B (10x Member Club)
- Host and Creator of the Best Picture Cast; @bestpicturecast on X, IG, Letterboxd - BPC, Letterboxd - Personal
- Previous Episodes: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1957), Lost in Translation (2003), Gran Torino (2008), Stalag 17 (1953), Shane (1953), A Fistful of Dollars (1964), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) Revisit, 12 Angry Men (1957) Revisit, The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Revisit, Saw (2004), Up in the Air (2009), Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome to Kieran B.
01:45 Cast and Background for The Grapes of Wrath
03:54 Relationship(s) with The Grapes of Wrath
07:21 What is The Grapes of Wrath About?
14:26 John Ford Films
21:26 Plot Summary for The Grapes of Wrath
22:22 Did You Know?
23:52 First Break
25:10 What's Up with Kieran B.
29:45 Best Performance(s)
42:34 Best/Favorite/Indelible Scene(s)
50:13 Second Break
51:17 In Memoriam
52:35 Best/Funniest Lines
57:25 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy
01:03:32 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Significance
01:07:43 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty
01:15:43 The Stanley Rubric - Classicness
01:25:01 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability
01:32:05 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total
01:34:02 Remaining Questions for The Grapes of Wrath
01:37:05 Some Fan Comments/Feedback
01:39:04 Tom and Kieran's Xmas Movie Exchange
01:47:50 Upcoming Projects with Kieran
01:49:33 Thank You to Kieran B and Remaining Thoughts for the Week
01:58:30 Credits
You can also find this episode in full video on YouTube.
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For more on the episode, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/the-grapes-of-wrath-1940-ft-kieran-b
For the entire rankings list so far, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/greatest-movie-of-all-time-list
Keywords:
Grapes of Wrath, John Ford, American Dream, Poverty, Film Legacy, Classic Cinema, Henry Fonda, John Steinbeck, Movie Analysis, Film Discussion, Grapes of Wrath, film analysis, classic cinema, impact of film, originality in storytelling, relevance of classic films, rewatchability, audience reception, film legacy, Gregg Toland, Jane Darwell
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