Movie Review: ****Of Mice and Men (1939)

This is the 1939 movie version of John Steinbeck's book which was published in 1937.  There are a couple things I like better in this movie than the Gary Sinise John Malkovich version.  And there are a couple things that I don't like as well.  This version gives much more focus to the situation of Curly's wife.  It is interesting that she is not named.  She is a non-person.  To Curly she is a pretty possession he has to look out for.  He spends much of his energy accusing others flirting with his wife.  She for her part longs to go to the movies, but Curly goes to town with his friends.  Apparently she has no mother-in-law, and father-in-law does not like her to play music.  In the end she does not have a life.  This movie portrays her being kicked out at the end, and she comes back to get her puppy.  As for Curly this movie leaves out the bit about using Vaseline on his hands.  However he does tangle with Lenny, and gets his hand smashed.  I like the look of the splint they put on his hand.  I don't care as much for this Lenny as John Malkovich.  He leaves a sense of pretending to Lenny, rather than actually being the character.  I like Crooks in this version, with his twisted back, and bitterness that he can't associate with the other men because of the color of his skin.  I also really like Candy, his reactions to his dog being shot, and then is having hope of getting a place with Lenny and George.
The ending is done is in good taste, showing George and his reaction, rather than the physical brutality of the bullet hitting Lenny in the head.  This is a very good version, and it being so soon to the release of the book, leaves me to think John Steinbeck had an active role.  Steinbeck did write a theatrical version of this book.