The Big little Mouse


The movie of Mice and Men directed by Gary Sinise, novel written by John Steinbeck. Staring Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. This is a screen play about two friends who are traveling through the country side looking for work in the 'Dirty Thirties'. Que the Taylor Ranch. They not only find work there but they are about to discover something that neither of them were ever expecting. They ain't like other men. They got each other. Well enough remenicing about trashy cliqushes. The movie isn't very well put togther, no mater the high powered cast. The movie was lacking what I really like to see in this type of movie. It was lacking a deeper story line. The characters were under developed and the lines that the actors were saying sounding more like they were saying the quotes than acting. It gave the feeling that they were reading que cards. Also whats with Slim. IN the book Slim was more friendly with George while parallal to the movie Slim just nods and smiles. WHATS that. This is a guy who in the book gets to know George and build a deeper understanding. Also Curlys wife? Why wasn't she as slutty as the book discribed her.
The one thing that I really liked was the use of symbolism and forshadowing. There was quite a few examples in the film. For starters, when George and Lennie are at the spring it shows the begining of the end for Lennie. How? Well George says that if Lennie gets into trouble on the Ranch that he was supposed to go there until George comes for him. This also forshawdowed what was to come. Another example of symbolism is where Lennie gets the new puppy and is contantly bring it into the bunk house. That symbolises the need for Lennie to have someone to look after, where he is always being looked after some one else. Some other key examples of symbolism deal with Candy. He has a dog that is so old that it smells. He is offered the chance to get rid of the dog and get a new one. After a while he gives in and his dog is shot. (cry) Well he kept saying that he should have been the one to shoot his dog. This shows that he is nearing the end of his life and that he wants the person who is looking after Candy in his wishes to end his life then end up like his dog. Near the end after Lennie had killed Curly's wife by accident. George sets out to deal with Lennie himself. "I ain't going to let anyone hurt Lennie." He was the one who ended Lennies life. This showed that Georged cared so deeply for Lennie that he was willing to end his life. Not even death could seperate them.
Character development almost non existant look at Curlys wife. Low cut top, lean legs and full lips. NO such thing in the movie. She really wasn't fully developed as a character. She felt more like an after thought ie, o yah Curly had a wife now where is she here. There she is hiding behind the tree. While we are discussing characters, lets look at Lennie. In the book version he is smarter. Movie version he is really just big and dumb, though he is that in the book to. The movie he is even stupider.
If you like trashy movies, this movie by all means is for you. If you want to see something that is more meaningful I would suggest that you stay away from this title.

Niggles: Under Developed Characters and over, and the quotes from the book were not intergated very well.

Good thing: The thing that I really liked was how the director used symbolism. The symbolism and theme that kept being revisited was the fragile state of life and how it can be changed forever.