Seeing this teleplay in 1968 began a life-long relationship with author John Steinbeck. I think his book, Of Mice and Men is a key to understanding all of his works. And this TV movie really shows the compassion he had for the weak, and the square peg who doesn't fit into the uniformly round hole. In the fifty years since it aired I cannot think of a more compelling character than Nicol Williamson's Lenny! George Segal's George was edgy, and really shows the repressed frustration that simmered just below his frayed surface, and the difficulty of caring for the disabled then. His roll was to show off the beauty and goodness of Lenny (the real Lead character), which he did brilliantly. He carries me back to the early days when he was a promising serious actor in a sea of them. Looking over the great character actors who rounded out the cast launches me into an era of unique, original, unforgettable characters. Even Joey Heatherton justified her small but important part. I agree with the above reviewers most of whom regard this as one of the best movies ever made. And thus it's loss as one of the worst. How many other lost movies can claim such a strong impression after fifty years?
