As someone who taught this book several times in a couple of different schools, I have to say I was pretty disappointed with the Gary Sinise version of the story.
Ironically, Sinise himself is perfect. He really captures George's resentment, his growing frustration, the sense that he'd just as soon be rid of Lennie. Sinise makes you feel that it's not just talk when he talks about getting rid of Lennie.
The problem is, John Malkovich tries too hard to be cute. He tries too hard to be likeable. And he's nowhere near big enough, menacing enough, or brutal enough, for the tragic ending to be believable.
Sherilyn Fenn is lovely and has a great wistful sadness as Curley's wife. That's a credit to her acting. But it totally subverts the meaning of the book. Steinbeck hates women. He blames them for wanting sex. And he blames them for everything that takes men away from each other. He writes this character to be utterly hateful from start to finish. But Sherilyn Fenn makes her appealing and Gary Sinise lets her. Probably they both sensed that a modern audience simply wouldn't handle all the woman-hatred that the book truly embodies.
It's like they had to put Steinbeck down for his own good!
Ironically, Sinise himself is perfect. He really captures George's resentment, his growing frustration, the sense that he'd just as soon be rid of Lennie. Sinise makes you feel that it's not just talk when he talks about getting rid of Lennie.
The problem is, John Malkovich tries too hard to be cute. He tries too hard to be likeable. And he's nowhere near big enough, menacing enough, or brutal enough, for the tragic ending to be believable.
Sherilyn Fenn is lovely and has a great wistful sadness as Curley's wife. That's a credit to her acting. But it totally subverts the meaning of the book. Steinbeck hates women. He blames them for wanting sex. And he blames them for everything that takes men away from each other. He writes this character to be utterly hateful from start to finish. But Sherilyn Fenn makes her appealing and Gary Sinise lets her. Probably they both sensed that a modern audience simply wouldn't handle all the woman-hatred that the book truly embodies.
It's like they had to put Steinbeck down for his own good!