Of Mice and Men (1992 film)
Of Mice and Men is a 1992 American period drama film based on John Steinbeck's 1937 novella of the same name. Directed and produced by Gary Sinise, the film features Gary Sinise as George Milton, alongside John Malkovich as Lennie Small, with Casey Siemaszko as Curley, John Terry as Slim, Ray Walston as Candy, Joe Morton as Crooks, and Sherilyn Fenn as Curley's wife.
Horton Foote adapted the story for film. Its plot centers on George and the intellectually disabled Lennie, two farm workers who travel together and dream of one day owning their own land. The film explores themes of discrimination, loneliness, and the American Dream.
Of Mice and Men took part in the 1992 Cannes Film Festival, where Sinise was nominated for the Palme d'Or award, given to the director of the best-featured film. After the film debuted in the United States on October 2, 1992, it received acclaim from critics.
Plot
The movie opens with George in a boxcar, reminiscing on the events that occurred.During the Great Depression, the quick-witted George Milton looks after his physically strong yet mentally disabled companion Lennie Small. The two are fleeing from their previous employment as workmen in Weed, California where Lennie was accused of attempted rape when he touched and held onto a young woman and her red dress, prompted by his love of stroking soft things. George and Lennie escape and travel to Soledad, which is near the ranch where they have work. While walking, George catches Lennie petting a dead mouse that he had accidentally killed. Despite Lennie's pleas to keep the dead mouse, George forcibly takes the mouse and throws it away, which causes Lennie to cry. George tries to explain to Lennie that he did so because the mouse "wasn't fresh", and that if he were to find another, fresher mouse, he could pet that one for a while. Lennie, sobbing hysterically, states that "there is no other mouse".
As they camp that evening, Lennie asks George to tell him again about their dream, as he has numerous times, and George reluctantly agrees. George describes how the two will one day have their own piece of land, and how Lennie will tend their rabbits. George adds, if Lennie should ever get in trouble, he is to return to the brush and wait for him. The following day, the two arrive to work at Tyler Ranch. The ranch Boss becomes suspicious of Lennie's mental condition when Lennie talks, forgetting to keep silent as George had instructed him. In order not to be fired, George lies to the Boss, telling him Lennie is his cousin and that he was kicked in the head by a horse when he was a child. At the bunkhouse, George and Lennie befriend an aged, one-handed ranch-hand, Candy. However, they take an instant dislike to the Boss' son, Curley, who hates people who are bigger than him. Lennie then becomes instantly attracted to Curley's seductive wife, who comes into the bunkhouse to flirt with Lennie and George. George, aware that Curley's wife will bring trouble upon the men due to her sexual allure and persistent flirting, strictly instructs Lennie to keep away and not to look at her.
While at a barn waiting for Crooks, an educated and intelligent black man who is bitter and isolated because of his race, George is discovered by Curley's Wife, who attempts to engage in a conversation. However, the attempt is interrupted when Curley enters the barn and confronts George, threatening to beat him to a pulp and have him fired if he catches him fraternizing with his wife again. George is introduced to his work team, Slim, the head of the team, who is greatly respected, and Carlson. When Carlson suggests they shoot Candy's old dog and get Slim to give him one of his pups, Lennie gets excited and asks George for a pup. After a hard day's work, George is proud of Lennie's work load and gets Lennie his puppy. Later, after Carlson kills his dog, Candy offers to pitch in with Lennie and George so they can buy the farm. Just as it seems that the dream is moving closer to reality, Curley comes by and accuses Slim of keeping his wife company as the workers mock Curley back. Curley spots Lennie laughing unintentionally, and he punches him repeatedly, yelling at him to fight back. The other men yell at Curley and encourage Lennie to fight. Lennie grabs Curley's hand and crushes it in his iron grip. George fears for his and Lennie's jobs on the ranch, but Slim gives Curley an ultimatum: Curley tells people his hand was just caught in a machine; if Curley tries to get George and Lennie sacked, Slim will tell everyone how Curley's hand really got crushed, and everyone will laugh at him. Curley, concerned for his reputation, reluctantly agrees to keep quiet.
The next day, Lennie and Crooks talk about being lonely, after which Curley's wife again attempts unsuccessfully to engage in conversation, now aware of what really happened to Lennie. Having reached the limit of her patience, the emotionally frustrated wife vows to leave the ranch forever, running to the house in tears. In the barn that evening, Lennie has accidentally killed his puppy and is greatly upset. Curley's wife enters and tries to speak to him, admitting she is lonely and how her dreams of becoming a movie star were crushed, revealing the reason she flirts with the ranch hands. After finding out about Lennie's love of petting soft things, she lets him stroke her hair, but she soon complains and screams because he is pulling too hard. Lennie tries to keep her quiet but accidentally breaks her neck in the process. Realizing he is in trouble, he runs to the brush as George told him to do. Candy finds Curley's wife dead and informs George, and the two realize their dream will never happen. Curley leads a mob which chases after Lennie intending to lynch him. George finds Lennie first and, wanting to spare him a violent and painful death at the hands of the mob, calms Lennie by retelling their dream. As George gets to the part where Lennie gets to tend the rabbits, he shoots Lennie in the back of the head. The scene then returns to George in the boxcar, heading South, remembering their old dream and his memories of Lennie.
Cast
- Gary Sinise as George Milton
- John Malkovich as Lennie Small
- Ray Walston as Candy
- Casey Siemaszko as Curley
- Sherilyn Fenn as Curley's Wife
- Noble Willingham as the Boss
- John Terry as Slim
- Richard Riehle as Carlson
- Joe Morton as Crooks
- Mark Boone Junior as the Bus Driver
- Moira Harris as the Girl in the Red Dress
- Alexis Arquette as Whit
Production
Release and reception
On April 16, 1992, Gilles Jacob, director of the Cannes Film Festival, announced the 27 films competing in the "Official Competition" category, including Of Mice and Men. The film premiered the next month, and was Sinise's second film to compete at Cannes, after the 1988 feature Miles from Home. After viewing Of Mice and Men, critic Don Marshall noted how the audience gave a standing ovation to its cast. Marshall said he was "surprised" that the film did not win an award, although Sinise was nominated for the Palme d'Or, given to the director of the best featured film.The film made its American debut on October 2, 1992, and grossed $5,471,088 from a total of 398 theaters. Despite what the Los Angeles Daily News described as a "poor box office performance", the film received positive critical acclaim. Critic Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5/4 stars, and complimented the cast on their attention to detail. Writing for Variety, Todd McCarthy was impressed at the set design, and contrasted the film's "lovely, burnished hues" with the studio-produced 1939 film. He went on to say that the actor's performances were "sterling" and gave the supporting cast positive reception. Vincent Canby of The New York Times also praised the physical production and supporting cast, but added that the film "is not very exciting", possibly because "looking back at Lennie and George with the perspective of time robs them of their urgency." The Austin Chronicle Steve Davis called Of Mice and Men "unassuming but well-made", and gave the film 3/5 stars.
Rotten Tomatoes reported that 96% of critics gave the film a positive review based on a sample of 28 reviews, with an average score of 8/10.