MovieChat Forums > The Grapes of Wrath (1940) Discussion > Brilliant Jane Darwell

Brilliant Jane Darwell

posted 13 years ago by generalusgrant
19 replies | jump to latest

As nuanced and great a performance as Fonda gave, this is really Jane Darwell's movie. She gave a magnificent performance as Ma. A true tour de force!

[–] poncedeleroy 9 years ago

It's very touching when she's going through the last of their things before hitting the road, throwing out the newspaper clip about Tom going to prison, etc, but smiling and keeping the little souvenir from the 1903 St Louis Exposition, and looking sadly at her reflection with earrings.

[–] twilliamson (126) 4 years ago

Agreed, wonderful performance by Jane Darwell. Even more impressive when I realized she had played Mrs. Merriweather in Gone with the Wind just a year earlier. Totally different role, as her character in GWTW is a society dowager who rules the roost in antebellum Atlanta. To go from that to this heartbreaking performance as a working class matron in this movie really shows her range.

[–] marktayloruk (2502) 3 years ago

Not that different- both strong women who ruled their respective roosts.