Trivia / The Grapes of Wrath

• Banned in China: Ironically, the film was banned in the Soviet Union. It turned out Soviet audiences were a bit too impressed that even the poorest Americans could afford a car.
• Creator Couple: Dorris Bowdon (Rosasharn) was married to screenwriter Nunnally Johnson.
• Creator's Favorite Episode: This was one of Henry Fonda's favourite films of his own.
• Creator-Preferred Adaptation: John Steinbeck famously said that the film version made him "believe [his] own words."
• Doing It for the Art: Henry Fonda, still struggling to became a big Hollywood star, tried to avoid being a contract player for 20th Century-Fox because he wanted the ability to independently choose his own projects (an increasing number of stars at the time were trying to gain such independence). But when the much-coveted part of Tom Joad was offered to him, Fonda hesitantly gave in and signed a contract to work with the studio for seven years because he knew it would be the role of a lifetime.
• Enforced Method Acting: John Ford unmercifully chewed out Frank Darien for overemoting in the scene where Ma is preparing a simple stew for the family in front of a crowd of starving children in the migrant camp. By the time Ford had finished his tirade, Darien was completely drained, which proved to be exactly the take Ford wanted for the scene.
• Hostility on the Set: John Ford treated Dorris Bowdon quite badly. It may have been because she was the girlfriend of screenwriter Nunnally Johnson and was given the part by Darryl F. Zanuck, or it may simply have been one of Ford's frequent inexplicable dislikes, but he hounded the young actress on every point, from coming on the set with her hair improperly done to taking time to have her hair fixed. Shortly before filming the scene of the dance at the government camp, Jane Darwell expressed her nervousness to Bowdon about "being such a fat old lady and I have to dance and say lines at the same time." When Darwell did the entire take perfectly, Bowdon spontaneously broke into applause, launching a tirade from Ford that made her run from the set crying. The next shooting day, Ford rather awkwardly cheered her up with a little bawdy humor, and the two got on well after that, although she later said, "I was glad I never had to work with him again." Yet, Bowdon in later life also expressed the duality of feelings actors often had for the difficult director when she related a story about how he painstakingly talked her through a very emotional moment that she ended up nailing in a single take. "He was a superb director," she said. "I never saw another director work in a way that was as skilled."
• One-Take Wonder: According to Henry Fonda, John Ford preferred only one take and little or no rehearsal to catch the most spontaneous moment. For the key climactic final scene between Tom and Ma, Ford didn't even watch the rehearsal. When the time came to shoot, Ford led Fonda and Jane Darwell through the silent action of the scene, preventing them from starting their lines until the two actors were completely in the moment. It was done in a single take and Fonda said on screen it was "brilliant."
• Stillborn Franchise: A sequel was in the works at Fox the year after the film's release. It was tentatively named after the first film's fake working title, Highway 66.
• Uncredited Role: Woody Guthrie was an uncredited musical consultant for the film, selecting "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Dead" for use in the picture as a typical Okie song.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Samuel Goldwyn's story editor persuaded him to buy the book with Gary Cooper starring as Tom Joad. Goldwyn disliked the book and suggested that "Zanuck make a mess of it". Whoops. Don Ameche and Tyrone Power were also considered.
  • James Stewart was originally set to play Al, with Walter Brennan as Pa Joad.
• Working Title: The production had a fake working title, Highway 66, so that the shoot of the controversial novel would not be affected by union problems. Much of the dire straits portrayed in the film continued during and after the release of the movie.

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