Running Head: Ford vs Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

Ford vs Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

in The Grapes of Wrath Film and Novel

Howard Yoon

UC Berkeley

COLWRIT R1A
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

Ford vs Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

in The Grapes of Wrath Film and Novel

Many popular novels are recreated as movies. In an effort to be genuine,

the movie adaptation often follows the original elements of the book such as the

plot, main characters, and so on. J.K. Rollings Harry Potter and the Philosophers

Stone is a good example. Rollings first novel in the Harry Potter series was

adapted by Chris Columbus and Warner Bros, and critics and audiences praised

the films visualization of the important parts of the book. However, this was not

the case with The Grapes of Wrath. The Grapes of Wrath was originally a novel

written by John Steinbeck. A year after its publication in 1939, filmmaker John

Ford and producer Darryl Zanuck and 20th Century Fox made a movie with the

same name. People might expect them to be similar; however, they turn out to

be entirely different in many aspects but especially with their main theme: critique

of capitalism and admiration of rugged individualism.

It is true that the movie and novel of The Grapes of Wrath do share some
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

parts in common. Their titles are the same, obviously, and they follow the same

basic plot about the Joads, a farm family leaving Oklahoma and traveling to

California along the Route 66 seeking new jobs due to Dust Bowl. They have the

same characters such as a traveling former-preacher Jim Casy, the Joad family,

Joads neighbor back in Oklahoma Muley Graves and so on. The public reaction

to each was similar, too. The novel was criticized by the left and right of the

political spectrum for its controversial socialist contents, and by Associated

Farmers of California for what they felt was Steinbecks exaggeration of California

farmers attitude toward migrants. The movie was also criticized for the fact that

Ford dulled the original contents and eased up on the darkness of the novel.

Despite this criticism, both were very popular and received prestigious awards: a

Pulitzer and Novel prize for the novel and an Academy Award for the film. Today,

both versions of The Grapes of Wrath are recognized as noteworthy masterpieces

(Awards, 2017).

Despite such similarities, the movie and novel versions of The Grapes of
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

Wrath are really two separate works, largely because Steinbeck and Ford lived

very different lives. From a middle-class family, Steinbeck used to work at ranches

and farms near his home with migrants. There he learned about the harsh

conditions of the migrants lives. Having been poor himself, most of his works

dealt with the lower class and he often criticized American government and

systems such as Laissez-faire economics for causing the Great Depression. His

criticism inspired him to become a Democrat. As Steinbeck said, I am basically,

intrinsically and irresistibly a Democrat (Politics, 2017). He later joined the

League of American Writers, a communist organization. For his contributions, he

was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Lyndon B. Johnson. In contrast,

Ford grew up religious, a staunch Catholic, and was a registered Republican. He

served as an Admiral in the Navy and was close friends with politically

conservative people in Hollywood like 20th Century Fox head Darryl Zanuck, and

actors John Wayne and James Stewart. Most of his works dealt with rugged

individuals. And just like Steinbeck, Ford was awarded the Presidential Medal of
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

Freedom but by Richard Nixon.

With such distinct experiences and political views, it makes sense that the

content of their film and novel were different. Many key scenes and details in the

novel are absent and change in the film; many are carefully manipulated. In the

novel, for instance, Jim Casy is a spiritual voice for communism and a parody of

Jesus Christ. Casy said that working together for everyone is a holy thing: [W]hen

[we]re all workin together, not one fella for another fella, but one fella kind of

harnessed to the whole shebangthats holy (Steinbeck, 1939). He also sacrifices

himself for sake of other migrants, just like how Jesus faced crucifixion for his

followers: His last words are, You fellas dont know what youre doin. Youre

helpin to starve kids. (Steinbeck, 1939). This is very similar to one of seven

sayings of Jesus on the cross: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what

they do (Luke 23:34). Steinbecks major themes in his work are communism and

socialism, and Casy describes the spiritual basis for these ideas: working together

for the whole community is a holy practice, and all humans share the same feeling
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

and mind, the concept he calls the oversoul (Steinbeck, 1939). He ultimately is

killed by strikebreakers as he fights for fair wages and Tom decides to carry on

his spiritual teaching and message. On the other hand, in the move, Jim Casy is

a comic relief figure who behaves like an animal, at one point jumping into a

bush and howling. He is simply there for the audience to laugh at. Steinbecks

intended message, clearly delivered in the novel, just does not exist in the movie.

Other references to communism such as the necessity for revolution are also

gone. Compared to twelve mentions in the novel, there is only a single reference

to reds in the movie. In contrast, as mentioned previously, Fords major themes

in his work is rugged individualism. Rather than the communism and the oversoul

everyone is connected to one great soul and working together with strangers,

Ford emphasizes on the idea of each member of a family cooperating for the

sake of the family unit. Thus, in the film, scenes where the Joads family meets

new companions such as Wilsons and Wainwrights, who all work together to

reach California, are missing. Instead, most scenes between Oklahoma and
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

California show the family working and staying together to face and fight

whenever there are challenges for instance if the car breaks down or runs out

of gas.

Ford and Zanuck also delete most depictions of hostile police officers and

business owners behavior to soften Steinbecks criticisms of capitalism. Instead

they are shown as gentle and even friendly individuals in the movie. In the novel,

Steinbeck wrote that the bank is a monster: The bank is something else than

men. It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the

bank does it. The bank is something more than men, I tell you. Its the monster.

Men made it, but they cant control it. (Steinbeck, 1939). The bank who is the

owner of the land is the one to blame for the Joads troubles, but the tenant

farmers cant fight back because it is a monster that no one can control. By

comparison, when a man from the bank comes and tells the Joads to move out

of the land, he sympathetically answered Brother, I dont know to Pas question

of who to blame. Fords film was being financed by a bank, Chase National Bank.
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

He could not denounce financiers in such a way.

Finally, each version of The Grapes of Wrath has completely different

endings, and they reflect their main themes. In the film, as Pa says All aboard,

everybody. All aboard for Fresno, the Joads once again get around and positively

set out for another trip to seek better opportunities. Then they help each other

to get on board the truck. Then Ma begins her final speech, saying, They cant

wipe us out. They cant lick us. Well go on forever, Pa, because were the people.

Her words suggest that there is no difficulty that can stop the Joads as long as

the family is united and they keep on working together (Ford, 1940). Through this

scene, Ford really tried to once again emphasize the main theme of rugged

individualism and to imbue his ending with a positive attitude and hope. There

is no mention of Rosasharn giving birth to a stillborn baby. Fords fabricated

optimism covers up the depressing reality of Steinbecks book. At the end of the

novel, by contrast, the migrants are still struggling and dying of hunger. The Joads

abandon a box car theyve been staying in due to rising flood waters and move
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

into an old barn. There, they find an old man dying. Here, Steinbeck again

emphasizes on the theme of the over soul by depicting Rosasharn offering her

breast milk to a starving stranger: Rose of Sharon loosened one side of the

blanket and bared her breast. You got to, she said. She squirmed closer and

pulled his head close. There! she said. there. Her hand moved behind his

head and supported it. Her fingers moved gently in his hair. She looked up and

across the barn, and her lips came together and smiled mysteriously (Steinbeck,

1939). The ending is very meaningful by the point that Rose of Sharon is the one

who wants the unknown man to drink her breast milk, offering her kindness and

mercy even if there is little to offer. This is the Steinbecks last yet powerful

reminder of his themes of unity between all people.

In short, film adaptations are always different from the original novels, but

the two interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath are deeply different, mainly

because of the creators opposite political standpoints. Steinbeck grew up poor

and had strong beliefs in liberalism, whole Ford was from a wealthy family and,
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

like many well-to-do Americans, more conservative. Interestingly, when Steinbeck

wrote his book, he predicted the public would criticize it because of the strong

communist themes contained within and its challenge of American capitalism.

When Ford, a decorated veteran and sincere Republican, and Zanuck offered to

buy the rights to Steinbecks novel, Steinbeck hesitated. Knowing that Fox was

financed by Chase Bank, Steinbeck worried about his work being distorted (Corliss,

2017). Clearly, his concern was warranted. Ford and Zanuck claimed that the

deletion and alternation of details and scenes in the novel were essential due to

the movies limited running time. However, this can be seen as just an excuse.

Financed by a bank, a clear symbol of capitalism, and employed by a conservative

media organization, Ford and Zanuck were more likely looking to satisfy their

financiers.

Among movies adapted from novels, The Grapes of Wrath is thus a unique

case, and it requires some critical reflection to appreciate it. One can only wonder

if The Grapes of Wrath film would have gained more popularity and cinematic
Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

success if Ford and Zanuck had produced It without the boundaries of politics

and the influences of their personal preferences.

Ford vs. Steinbeck: Rugged Individualism or Anti-Capitalism

References:
Allen, C. (2014). Why celebrate 'The Grapes of Wrath'? It's bad fiction and bad
history. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from:
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-grapes-of-wrath-
john-steinbeck-75th-anniversary-20140428-story.html

Awards, Block Vs. Point by point of The Grapes of Wrath. (2017). R1A F17 U6 L1
class notes. Retrieved from
https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1465513/files/folder/Class%2
0Notes%20Sec.14/Unit%206%20class%20notes?preview=72155394

Bowen, C. (2010). The Grapes of Wrath. Slant Magazine. Retrieved from:

https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/the-grapes-of-wrath

Corliss, R. (2015). Were the people: John Fords The Grapes of Wrath at 75. Time
Magazine. Retrieved from: http://time.com/3681409/the-grapes-of-
wrath-75-years/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Ford, J. (1940). The Film The Grapes of Wrath. Warner Bros. Retrieved from:
https://www.amazon.com/Grapes-Wrath-Henry-
Fonda/dp/B0000DJZ8R/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512685374&sr=
8-2&keywords=grapes+of+wrath+movie

Steinbeck, J. (1939). The Novel The Grapes of Wrath. Penguin Press. Retrieved
from:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UN96Q2/ref=rdr_ext_sb_ti_h
ist_1

The politics of Steinbeck, Ford, and Zanuck. (2017). R1A F17 U6 L1 class notes.
Retrieved from
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https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1465513/files/folder/Class%2
0Notes%20(generic)/Unit%206%20class%20notes?preview=7212322
0