of mice and men
Realism versus Aestheticism in Of Mice and Men (1937)
Introduction:
A panic-stricken young woman flees from the opening scene, her beautiful red dress torn. The main characters George (Gary Sinise) and Lennie (John Malkovich) are seen sprinting in the opposite direction to escape yet another dilemma that Lennie has gotten them into. The tension builds as the music intensifies, evoking fear in audiences early on that the two men will be caught. This opening scene, while out of order from the original text, stays true that of John Steinbeck’s classic novel Of Mice and Men. This 1992 film adaptation, directed by Gary Sinise, is a simple yet accurate interpretation of the novel in which Steinbeck’s message and characters truly come to life, and emphasize friendship and hard work, themes that are still relevant today.
Set during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men’s main characters George and Lennie travel together from place to place in search of temporary work. While men usually travel alone, Lennie and George’s vow to stick together works; George is small yet cunning while Lennie is simpleminded yet has the strength of two men. Lennie and George are like brothers in the novel and Sinise and Malkovich capture the essence of their friendship well when Lennie often declares that they have each other’s backs, “‘But not us! An’ why? Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.’” The film does their friendship justice in that Sinise is caring and protective of child-like Malkovich, who rarely knows what is happening around him.
John Malkovich’s interpretation of Lennie is flawless, from his facial expressions to his voice. He stays true to the Lennie that Steinbeck has created and for a majority of the movie, he steals the show. Viewers become attached to the mostly gentle giant whose childish ways and constant obsession with rabbits is hard not to love.
Malkovich’s counterpart, Gary Sinise, who plays George, also
Introduction:
A panic-stricken young woman flees from the opening scene, her beautiful red dress torn. The main characters George (Gary Sinise) and Lennie (John Malkovich) are seen sprinting in the opposite direction to escape yet another dilemma that Lennie has gotten them into. The tension builds as the music intensifies, evoking fear in audiences early on that the two men will be caught. This opening scene, while out of order from the original text, stays true that of John Steinbeck’s classic novel Of Mice and Men. This 1992 film adaptation, directed by Gary Sinise, is a simple yet accurate interpretation of the novel in which Steinbeck’s message and characters truly come to life, and emphasize friendship and hard work, themes that are still relevant today.
Set during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men’s main characters George and Lennie travel together from place to place in search of temporary work. While men usually travel alone, Lennie and George’s vow to stick together works; George is small yet cunning while Lennie is simpleminded yet has the strength of two men. Lennie and George are like brothers in the novel and Sinise and Malkovich capture the essence of their friendship well when Lennie often declares that they have each other’s backs, “‘But not us! An’ why? Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.’” The film does their friendship justice in that Sinise is caring and protective of child-like Malkovich, who rarely knows what is happening around him.
John Malkovich’s interpretation of Lennie is flawless, from his facial expressions to his voice. He stays true to the Lennie that Steinbeck has created and for a majority of the movie, he steals the show. Viewers become attached to the mostly gentle giant whose childish ways and constant obsession with rabbits is hard not to love.
Malkovich’s counterpart, Gary Sinise, who plays George, also