The Essential Films Podcast Episode #59: THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

We're back! After an unplanned hiatus, we are back on your podcast app of choice. On this week's adventure Adolfo and Mark discuss John Ford's THE GRAPES OF WRATH.

On Today's Show:

• Mark’s Hollywood Journey
• Mark wins an Oscar!
• Walt Disney Archives
• How to properly hold an Oscar
• The glory days of VHS
• “A Very Special Epsidoe”
• The heaviness of The Grapes of Wrath
• Watching the movie instead of reading the book for school
• The differences between the movie and the novel
• Quick turnaround from the novel’s publishing to the release of the film
• Very socialist messaging, which is odd in the times of communist scapegoating
• The Great Henry Fonda
• “Just following orders”
• Tom’s family thinking he broke out of jail
• Heartbreaking shots
• Grandpa’s medicine
• Holding out hope for meager rewards
• The brotherhood of the working class
• Giving Grandma the Weekend at Bernie’s treatment
• The dwindling of the family
• Movie is clearly pro-Union
• The Company Store scam
• Tom’s sense of dignity, duty and self respect won’t allow him to be bullied
• The government working camp is good for them, but it only lasts temporarily
• Tom’s sacrifice for his family and following his calling to do good
• Is tom a christ figure?
• “We’re the people”
• The power of the work and anti corporation - basically tenets of communism
• Grapes of Wrath was woke before woke was a thing
• Grapes of Wrath’s Academy Award nominations and wins, stealing the Best Director from Hitchcock who never got an Oscar
• An inspirational but depressing movie
• Will AFI update their lists?

Films Referenced:

• Rebecca (1940)
• The Philadelphia Story (1940)
• The Ten Commandments (1956)
• White Wilderness (1958)
• Some Like it Hot (1959)
• The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
• The House That Dripped Blood (1971)
• On Golden Pond (1981)
• ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• Return of the Jedi (1983)
• Punky Brewster (TV Series, 1984-1988)
• Diff'rent Strokes (TV Series, 1978-1986)
• Full House (TV Series, 1987-1995)
• ​​Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990)
• Dinosaurs (TV Series, 1991-1994)
• Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
• Kill Bill: Vol 1 (2003)
• Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
• Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Links: 
Substack: adolfoacosta.substack.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@adolfojacosta
Website: essentialfilmspodcast.com