One of the most profoundly moving and beautifully acted adaptations of a classic novel Hollywood ever produced. John Steinbeck's story of families forced from their homes making the pilgrimage across the country to California made a captivating film and tribute to the human spirit.

At the heart of the film are two majestic performances, Jane Darwell as the indomitable Ma Joad who says "we keep coming because we are the people"and of course Henry Fonda perfect as Tom Joad, released from jail to a greater horror and then finding he can't run away from his own past. In his final speech where he tells of his new position as the representative of all those treated brutally and those starving for food Fonda mixes the sombre with the hopeful, summing up the film beautifully. He really deserved an Oscar for Best Actor and the film should have been voted the best of the year too.