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I don't think anybody who has read "Of Mice and Men" has ever forgotten it. John Steinbeck paints characters who are so rich, so sympathetic, so tragic. I went through a brief Steinbeck phase during my highschool years, and every single novel – "The Grapes of Wrath," "The Pearl," "The Winter of Out Discontent," "The Red Pony" - left me feeling emotionally gutted. His conclusions are tragic and sorrowful, and yet somehow necessary - the only possible conclusion.

I've seen Gary Sinise's 1992 film adaptation of "Of Mice and Men," and it's a very strong, faithful adaptation, but this one tops it, I think. Snappy, shrewd George is played by Burgess Meredith, and he has a wonderful rapport with Lennie (Lon Chaney, Jr.), a behemoth with more heart than brains.

The characterisations are poignant, and the dialogue strongly literary, often lifted straight from the pages of the source material. Steinbeck has a delicate way of giving his characters hope, and then sharply yanking it away for the conclusion. This goes against every rule of Hollywood storytelling (even John Ford's 'The Grapes of Wrath (1940)' compromised with a more optimistic ending), but here director Lewis Milestone sticks to the original story like it was gospel.

It's amazing that a film as good as this one came from a small studio like Hal Roach. Sure, they released many of their films through MGM but they were tiny and specialized in short comedies with the likes of Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase and The Little Rascals--but they were not known for dramas. Well, starting in the late 1930s, the studio tried their hand at such fare and in some cases did some lovely films--and "Of Mice and Men" is the best example of these new dramas.

As far as the story goes, it's much like the book and play---but with a few changes to meet the tough Production Code. The language was toned down--with swearing removed. Also, the film made a few minor changes in the play--but not many. What you see is essentially the Steinbeck story--and the studio trusted the source material enough to stick with it. They also should be applauded for picking two relative unknowns to star in the film--Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr..

Overall, the film is a smashing success. The acting is very good, the direction also nice and the film kept me on the edge of my seat. The only negative, and it's very, very, very minor, is that a few of the scenes looked very much like they were filmed on a set. Still, it's one of the best films of the year and had it not come out in 1939 (the same year as "Gone With The Wind", "The Wizard of Oz", "Goodby Mr. Chips", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and many other great films), it might have taken home some Oscars. Well worth seeing and a great example of a film made very well on a relatively small budget.

Of Mice and Men (1939)

**** (out of 4)

A true masterpiece of the genre has Burgess Meredith playing George, the simple man who takes care of the soft hearted but dumb Lennie (Lon Chaney, Jr.). The two men get work on a ranch where they dream of owning their own land but fate always has a way of finding Lennie. Even though this film has the reputation of being a classic, I can't help but wonder why it isn't talked about more when it comes to some of the all time great movies. I'm going to guess the movie is often overlooked because it comes from 1939, the same year that gave us films like GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON to name just a few. The masterful performance by Chaney is probably overlooked because most people remember him mainly for his horror roles. Both reasons are understandable but there's no question this movie packs on emotional and peaceful punch that can't be topped by too many movies. Producer Hal Roach rushed this film into production to beat John Ford's THE GRAPES OF WRATH into theaters but you really can't tell. The direction, cinematography, screenplay and acting are so wonderful that you can't help but fall in love with the film. Chaney clearly steals the show as the dimwitted Lennie. That childlike quality that Chaney brings to the role is unforgettable and the sympathy he gains is unmatched. The film shows what a great actor Chaney could be if given the right parts. It's a shame he didn't get to do more dramatic roles in his career. Meredith, a fine character actor, is another one who never got enough credit in his career. He delivers a remarkable performance here that perfectly balances out the friendship between his character and Lennie. The real surprise comes in how terrific the supporting players are led by Charles Bickford's wonderful work as the tough guy in the group. Bob Steele, Roman Bohnen, Noah Beery, Jr. and Betty Field are all terrific as well. The film deals with a lot of subjects as one could argue the entire film is a moral drama. We deal with racism, abuse, personal torture and various other subjects but the film never comes off preachy. The ending, which I'm sure most people know even if they haven't seen any of the movies, packs a tremendous punch.

This is wonderful film! I loved it! Why Lon Chaney Jr. did not win the oscar for his portrayel of Lenny, I'll never know. He was perfect in that role. One of my favorite scenes is when they have to kill Candy's dog. Just the emotion from everyone is.. just amazing. You have to cry everytime you see it. Wonderful movie that is probably the best one to come from a novel. John Steinbeck should be proud of this one. I know I'd be. 10/10.

The first comment given here shows an incredible lack of understanding of Steinbeck in his California period. Our Irish friend's acrid comments show he obviously doesn't like Steinbeck and that's his privilege. Now, having said that, I must say he's wrong. This film is excellent. Just that. The cast is wonderful and the story is a classic: the destruction of innocence by cruel reality (viz: the title of the story taken from a line from a Robert Burns's poem). And, while Steinbeck was not one to let a sentimental moment pass by, e.g, Lennie's Christ-like innocence, inappropriate super-human strength which inadvertently wreaks havoc resulting in his euthanasia with the same instrument as used for Curley's dog, these scenes are never maudlin. Too, for the serious Steinbeck fan, there's more, much more. This story, and the play, created at Steinbeck's most experimental period, is fraught with symbolism. There's the "big" guy, a victim of the "little" guy's vanity. Many are not aware that Steinbeck was small (5'3") and very self-conscious about his size. The cast is outstanding: Betty Field's careless and bored character, Mae contrasts with the mighty innocence of Chaney's Lennie. There are the solid characters of Bickford's Slim, Meredith's George and Bohnen's Candy; Steele was at his best as the vain, pugnacious Curley; Veteran character actor, Noah Berry Jr. as Whit adds another element of sympathy. This is one of our American classic films. We invented and developed this genre of art and this film must stand as one of its finest examples.