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Of Mice and Men - Special Edition

Gary Sinise's "Of Mice and Men" has all the quiet emotional appeal of great American literature, anchored by two strong central performers who bring the characters of John Steinbeck's classic novel to life without flaw. This Depression-era story takes place in California, where two drifters, George Milton (Sinise) and Lennie Small (John Malkovich), have come to the Tyler Ranch looking for work, hoping one day to fulfill their hopes of buying a small house and living off of the fat of the land. It is this dream that keeps George going when he becomes frustrated with Lennie's simple-mindedness, that which has gotten them into trouble many times before. In fact, it is ultimately Lennie's childlike naivety that brings these two downtrodden souls to a crossroads in the film's pivotal ending, in the dreaded wake of compassion gone horribly wrong. ***

Sinise keeps a keen eye on small details, allowing us to ingest the images before us and later make observations about the material being presented. The film moves at a leisurely pace: much like its characters, it remain constantly unsure of the road ahead, and keeps us waiting for the final, impacting moment, that which is foreshadowed by an earlier story of Candy and his old dog. I guess what the film is about in the end is loyalty, and the unexpected friendships that we find in the most unlikely of people. In any other place and time, Lennie and George may not have been friends, but because of the unrest and conditions of the period, they only have one another to lean on for support. Had this movie been a musical, the Lennie and George theme would likely have been Sonny and Cher's "I've Got You, Babe." ***

In front of the camera, Sinise turns in a wonderfully muted performance that forces us to read between the lines for the underlying emotions. His talent is mirrored by Malkovich, whose demeanor and childlike candor are truly marvelous, working to establish his character as a man unaware of his own potential for danger. The screenplay owes its life to writer Horton Foote, the man behind the Oscar-winning scripts for "Tender Mercies" and "To Kill a Mockingbird;" here, he finds the central core of the novel without sacrificing its important issues in the interest of running time. It's not for everyone, but those who want something that challenges the thoughts will not be disappointed. What we have in the end with "Of Mice and Men" is a delightfully old-fashioned piece of filmmaking that ranks as one of the better book-to-screen adaptations to come along in recent decades.

This new reissue of "Of Mice and Men" on DVD carries with it the same transfer from the previous 2001 release, only the results are better this time around. Presented in the ratio of 1.85:1, the overall picture is quite splendid, most notably in the color department. Saturation and fidelity are very good, with no bleeding, accurate fleshtones, and rich, solid blacks throughout. The contrast is nicely rendered, with terrific shadow detail that remains consistent. Edges are sharp, with some halos visible in places, and small object detail is generally pleasing. There is some film grain and speckle present during some scenes, but overall, this is a fine transfer that remains pleasing. ***

Rather than opt for a 5.1 remaster of the sound, however, MGM has kept the original Dolby 2.0 Surround track for this new special edition. Not that a new track was really needed, but it probably would have added a touch more ambient effect to the score or atmospheric sounds. Not to worry, though: the 2.0 track performs admirably, with some good front-end separation and natural-sounding dialogue. The score remains front-heavy, but at times expands into the rears for full effect. Deep bass is minimal, almost non-existent, but sounds pleasing when utilized.