OF MICE AND MEN (1939) B/W 107m dir: Lewis Milestone

w/Burgess Meredith, Betty Field, Lon Chaney Jr., Charles Bickford, Roman Bohnen, Bob Steele, Noah Beery Jr., Oscar O'Shea, Granville Bates, Leigh Whipper

From The Movie Guide: "John Steinbeck's moving, powerful story of two ranch hands trying to find a safe haven in a hostile world comes to the screen with penetrating compassion under the deft hand of director Milestone. The huge, childlike, slightly retarded Lennie (Chaney) and the sharp, protective George (Meredith) wander the rural West, looking for work during the Great Depression. ...

"Though grim and offbeat, OF MICE AND MEN is a noble morality tale that can be appreciated for its simplicity. The acting is faultless and [Aaron] Copland's score is magnificent. Hollywood censorship deserves at least a modest amount of praise for not completely eviscerating a powerfully adult story. This was Chaney's finest performance ever; equally impressive are Meredith, Bickford, Field, Bohnen (in an especially moving turn as the pathetic Candy), and B-film cowboy star Steele. Remade by clumsier hands, and with too much gloss, in 1992."

Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Score, and Sound.