Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men: Viewing Guide
I. Vocabulary
* flashback: alteration in story order in which the plot moves back in time to show events that have taken place earlier than those already shown.
* Point of View (POV) shot: a shot taken from the position of a character’s eyes. It shows the viewer what things look like from the character’s position.
* Wide angle: the use of a wide-anglelens to create a shot that captures a wide range of elements.
* Crosscutting: editing that alternates shots of two or more lines of action occurring in different places. It is often used during dramatic sequences to increase tension.

II. Cast/Crew
Unlike the novel Of Mice and Men, which was essentially created by one man, John Steinbeck, the film version is a collaborative effort. Eachperson on screen and behind the scene influences the overall film.

1. Who wrote the screenplay?

The screen play was written by Horton Foote.

2. Who is the director?

The director is Gary Sinise.

3. Who plays George?

Gary Sinise plays the role of George. |

• Do you think this was a good casting? What is different about the looks and behavior of the actor from what you imagined?I think they could’ve done better by putting someone else to act out the role of George. From the detailed description that the novel gave me, I thought that George was going to be a lot more older and less “serious” looking. I also imagined him having dirty and droopy clothes.

4. Who plays Lennie?

John Malkovich played the role of Lennie.

• Does the actor portray Lennie differentlyfrom what you imagined while reading? Does the
actor bring anything new to the character that emphasizes a characteristic?

Nothing differently comes to mind about his characteristics between the movie and the novel. To me, his role was acted much like Lennie from the novel.

III. Film
5. What is George riding in the first sequence?
George is riding a train in the first sequence in “Of Miceand Men” the movie.
6. How is the movie a flashback?
In the beginning of the movie, it shows us a flashback of when George and Lennie were being chased by the people from Weed.
7. What is gained by making the film a flashback as opposed to the way it is presented in the book?
What they gained was a different beginning from the novel. When the movie starts, you don’t know what’s going on, whyand what George and Lennie are running away from. Both the novel and movie show this part thoroughly but in different ways and in different timings.
8. What does the director imply is the reason for George and Lennie being chased by dogs and shotguns?

It implies that they have done something bad and that they are being chased to be killed. The reason why is because Lennie has been acused ofraping a girl in a red dress but he really just wanted to feel her dress. The girl’s reaction to this was that she got scared and Lennie did too, what resulted in Lennie not letting go of the girl’s dress.

9. How does the filmmaker imply this?

The film maker implies this by starting off the film with the frightened girl in the red dress screaming and running towards some of the men of Weed.10. During the conversation between George and Lennie about the mouse, how is the setting different?

In the book the setting where they have their conversation about the dead mouse is at a clearing where there is a lake. In the film they stop on the road to get rid of the mouse and Lennie does not go through the lake to get it.

11. What images does the filmmaker use to establish setting?The filmmaker established a valley or a lot of grass land as the setting.

12. Since the filmmaker cannot use language to create metaphors, how does he create the comparison of Lennie and a dog when Lennie drinks from water?
The film maker used camera angles, atmosphere and the actors expressions to convey the comparison of Lennie and a dog drinking water from the lake.
13. When George and...