The Grapes of Wrath

1940.
#21 / #23
Winner of 2 Academy Awards

The Joads lose their Oklahoma farm during the Great Depression and make the arduous worker to California to become migrant farm workers.

Eddie: This is one of the bleakest movies on the list. It's black and white cinematography has more charm and sunshine than the story or any of its characters, and that's barely any sunshine to begin with. Henry Fonda does a good job playing Henry Fonda, looking like a hurt puppy while staring past the camera. The real gem is Jane Darwell, who plays Ma Joad. Her character holds the family together, and her performance holds the film together.

One thing I took away from the movie is a sense of perspective. If this is an accurate depiction of the Great Depression, which I'm sure it is, then the so-called Great Recession is nothing more than a rainy day in June compared to the decade-long hard times of the 1930s. I mean, I've faced unemployment, but I've never had to bury my grandfather on the side of the highway.

Sarah: This, like NETWORK, is a film that is just as relevant today as it ever was. Sure, things are not nearly what they were in the 30's, but how can someone watch this film and then say that unions are bad?

This film is a showcase of masterful performances all across the board (Ma Joad was my favorite) so if you just focus on that, maybe you can watch this movie without it sucking away all of your energy and hope.

Why You Should See It: Ma Joad packs up her mementos, choosing which to keep and which to leave behind. She says so much in this moment without any dialogue.

12 Angry Men

1957.

Unlisted / #87

Nominated for 3 Academy Awards.

Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) convinces the other eleven jurors to re-consider their guilty verdict of a young Puerto Rican man accused of murdering his father.

Eddie: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Ninety-two percent of it takes place in one room, but Sidney Lumet and Boris Kaufman manage to photograph it in a fresh way, so you never feel like they got lazy and stuck a tripod in the corner of the room. The dolly moves really keep the movie's pace alive. The writing is also superb. In a room with twelve characters, it's difficult to flesh out each one, but Reginald Rose manages to give us a clear sketch of each (angry) man. In terms of palpable drama, this is up there with any of the best, but my guess is that it made the AFI list because of its star power - Lumet and Fonda, especially.

Sarah: The first time I saw this movie I thought it was borrrrriiiiinnng. I wasn't looking forward to watching it again for our challenge. However, things improved the second time around.

Despite the inherent narrative obstacles of the film (one location, no real character names, talking about a character who appears only for a few seconds), thanks to the crafty writing of Reginald Rose, the movie still has emotional arcs and relationships. Each juror is well-defined. I especially liked the quiet Juror #5 (Jack Klugman, playing opposite of his famed TV role as Oscar Madison), and timid Juror #2 (John Fiedler, but you might know him as Piglet).

Even though I've grown to appreciate this film I still think it's an on-the-nose fable. I prefer the homage to the film that HAPPY DAYS did. It's much shorter, and the Fonz gets to be Henry Fonda.

Why You Should See It: As the jury stands deadlocked at 9-3 in favor of acquittal, Juror #10 (Ed Begley) launches into a bigoted tirade about Puerto Ricans. One by one, the jurors stand up and turn their backs to him. It's one of the few times that the camera is locked off, and the result is stunning. Finally, Juror #4 (E.G. Marshall) tells him, "I have [listened]. Now sit down and don't open your mouth again." Yeah. Fuck racism.