Möss och människor

Two men, tired and dirty, are walking along a gravelled road towards a farm to look for work. They are trying to survive in California during the recession of the 1930's. Lenny is a feeble-minded man, with the intellect
of a child. He is completely dependent on his friend George. The smart and inventive George does his best to keep his friend out of trouble. This is a screen version of John Steinbeck's classic novel of the same name.
Comment:
Is it possible to live without dreams?
Of Mice and Men is a story about love and friendship during the hard times that prevailed in the United States in the 30's. In this screen version of John Steinbeck's classic novel, Gary Sinise succeeds in visualizing the warmth and authenticity who characterize the writer. In his novels Steinbeck shows a great social commitment to those that live on the fringes of society. He shows them respect and gives them a renewed sense of dignity. In Steinbeck's universal themes that severity in the social critique is still to be found. It is not surprising that this film is released now, in this period of hopelessness following the longest financial boom in modern times. Our dream machine is demolished and we are reminded of the brutal consequences that depression brings with it, and the lie is exposed.
Sinise is evidently a great admirer of Steinbeck. The film closely follows the original, when it comes to characters; its clarity of form and its laconic dialogue. The small deviations of the film add a new dimension of visual narrative, resulting in a synthesis of the filmic and the theatrical.
Both Sinise and John Malkovich have their roots in Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, which put up Of Mice and Men in 1980. In that production they played the same parts as they do in the film; Sinise
as George and Malkovich as the feebleminded Lennie. Malkovich shows what a broad register he commands as an actor. His character interpretation of the seducti· ve Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons is miles away. Malkovich's portrayal of Lennie is convincing and affectionate, without Malkovich losing any charisma.
The wandering farm workers George and Lennie nourish a vain hope of a better life. They live with the conviction of the American dream; everyone can influence their own lives. It is friendship and above all the dream that keep them going:
- Tell about how it's gonna be.
- OK. Some day we're gonna get the jack
together and we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres ..
- Go on George! Tell about what we're gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits ..
Marina Dahlquist

Orig. titel
Of Mice and Men: Medverkande
Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Sherilyn Fenn: Producent
Russ Smith, Gary Sinise: Manus
Horton Foote: Foto
Kenneth MacMillan: Musik
Mark Isham: Talat språk
English