Of Mice and Men (PG-13, 1992)

Gary Sinese and John Malkovich star in this adaptation of John Steinbeck's Depression-era classic. Migrant farm workers George (Gary Sinese) and Lennie (John Malkovich) travel together, hoping that one day, when they've got enough money saved up, they'll buy a little place of their own and live off the fat of the land, and Lennie will get to tend the rabbits. Lennie likes soft things: rabbits, mice, puppies. He's a simpleton, a big powerful child, and soft things excite him. That excitement usually leads to trouble, and that trouble keeps them moving. George and Lennie flee to another in a series of ranches, where trouble is quick to present itself. First, there's the boss's son, Curley (Casey Siemaszko), a little guy who hates big guys. But then there's also Curley's wife (Sherilyn Fenn), a lonely girl looking for attention. When Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife, the two friends' dream crumbles, and George is forced into a devastating decision.

OF MICE AND MEN is a modest, sincere adaptation of John Steinbeck's Depression-era classic, a must-see for both teens and parents. Bringing John Steinbeck's heartrending short novel to the screen is a difficult task, in large part because of the often parodied character of Lennie (think of the lumbering Warner Bros. cartoon dog who called everyone George and had a special fondness for Bugs -- "I will love him and I will pet him...").

As caricature has a tendency to overshadow character, John Malkovich's performance may be a bit jarring. His Lennie isn't a comical simpleton, or a mere child in a grown man's body. There are layers of complexity to him, and yearning, not just to tend the rabbits, but to be good, to please his friend. It's a difficult role, and Malkovich foregoes sentiment to make it both tragic and very real. The onscreen chemistry between the stars, Sinese's surefooted directing, and a faithful-to-the-novel script by Horton Foote are all factors which contribute to Of Mice and Men's success.

Studio: MGM/UA
Director: Gary Sinise
Cast: Alexis Arquette, Gary Sinise, John Malkovich
Genre: Drama
Run time: 110 minutes
Theatrical release: October 2, 1992
DVD release: March 4, 2003
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: some scenes of violence